Ashes
by N1kk1 Starlet
Summary: "Play with fire, you're going to get burned. And when you burn, it leaves a memory." It seemed everything would calm down now that Doofenshmirtz was stopped from taking over the world. When an unfortunate turn of events lead to a kidnapping, Phineas is pushed to the extreme. He may have to save his universe one last time... unless his past catches up with him first. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Its written, its finally written! xD Oh my Perry I was about to suffer from a _relapse_ b****ecause I was away for so long. I couldn't wait till September. I'm sorry. So anyways, here it is -as promised- the sequel to forgotten! :3 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Everything belongs to Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, except for Phyllis and new Oc's I have in mind ;) **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter one: No hard feelings

To everyone living in Danville during that fateful summer, it was like they all were allowed to finally let go of a huge breath of air. Nobody wanted to question how the two got together. All that needed to be done was sit down and watch the next chapter of the young couple's lives unfold, itching to turn the page at any angle.

So, the next scene opens up to the Flynn-Fletcher home. It looked like the same as it ever will be, only if you don't count the almost torn fence, and the flowers were ripped out of their place. The lights were dimly lit as they contrasted to the setting sun. Everybody seemed to be pushed to their limits since Phineas came home unconscious from the battle. Danville looked like a giant floating baby head decided to have a temper tantrum, what with all the robots destroying everything again.

The alternates left a week ago—they couldn't waste a second here, knowing that their dimension would be a wreck without knowing how its own citizens were left in the dark about everything that went on. It was a tearful farewell, but everyone promised they would meet up with each other soon.

The news softly played in the background television in their living room, where Ferb and Vanessa were. Candace lay on the floor beside them, a calm, yet frustrated look on her face as she glanced in the kitchen. Lawrence was nowhere to be seen, but the light was on in the downstairs basement; conclusions could easily be drawn by this.

Vivian wrinkled her nose at Linda's frustrated rant, wanting nothing more than to finally be with her daughter.

"…listen, Linda, I understand how you can be upset with all of this but you need to give it a rest. My poor girl has been fawning over your son ever since they were toddlers. They only had a few _hours _together in that biosphere to confess before Phineas had to destroy Doofin… whatever his name is." She waved her arm in frustration. "You have to let this go!"

"But Viv; they're so young!" She urged, not daring to lose her ground.

"Do you think I'm just as scared as you are?" Vivian sneered, her eyes threatening to glisten. "If we tell them to keep their distance from each other all that'll do is make it worse. The only thing we can do now is watch the new love blossom and show them support… isn't that what you want?"

Candace sighed and shook her head, excusing herself to go upstairs. She peaked into Phineas' bedroom, just checking to see how he was. His spot was empty however, and only Isabella laid in it, cuddling with the former minion, Phyllis. Perry curled up next to them. She smiled as she briefly wondered where her brother was, until a quiet sigh was heard in the bathroom next to her.

She turned around to smile at him. The boy was staring at himself in the mirror; dark circles were under his eyes, lacking of a good nights sleep. The burn on his neck was most noticeable, however. It scarred unlike any other, leaving a bright red streak where the fireball hit, but it wasn't deep enough for stitches. It took up most of his neck and lower chin, something that couldn't be covered or healed no matter how hard he tried. Candace gave her brother a small smile.

"Looks like little Phinny finally grew up."

He blinked at her and turned around, a little startled by her sudden appearance. "Huh?"

"I knew what you were going to say before slipping into that coma of yours." She giggled and leaned against the door. "…I thought you were oblivious to her feelings?"

"Yeah, well," he laughed nervously, rubbing his neck where the scar was. "It was… a really emotional experience for me. To think it happened only yesterday."

Now it was Candace's turn to look sheepish. "Actually… you were out for at least a month. In a few days it'll be August." She muttered and pointed to the calendar by the door, marking its date as July 24. His eyes grew wide for just a second before he shook his head in disbelief and sighed, figuring that he's had much crazier things happen to him than this. They stood silent for a few moments before he decided to break the ice again.

"Hey… Candace?" He asked, looking up at her. She passed him a knowing look. "I know I… kinda messed everything up before with me and Izzie's friendship (I'm still surprised at how she forgave me for it) but…. Truth is, I'm scared."

"Of what?" She asked, a little curious as to where this conversation would go.

"What if I spend so much time with her and forget all about inventing? O-or Ferb gets jealous and doesn't want to speak to me anymore? Jeez… I-I don't know what I'd do, if I'm ever in a situation like that… your average twelve year old goes through this kind of stuff, right?" he asked and grew more anxious by the second, the fate of everybody's outcome unwillingly resting on his shoulders. Candace shook her head and let out a quiet laugh.

"Aw, Phin. I can assure you nothing like that's ever going to happen. Ferb will love you no matter who you hang out with, and support you just as I will! And I'm sure, with those big ideas of yours, you'll never give up inventing." She ruffled his hair and smiled, her eyes for the first time in a while beginning to glisten. "You just destroyed an evil scientist Phineas. _That's_ not normal." She watched him as he took in her comfort with a thoughtful expression, and sighed tiredly.

"I-I know. Thanks Candace." He smiled and reached out his hands to hug her, to which she awkwardly accepted. His eyes were cloudy with thought as they pulled away and Candace shook her head. Tough times were ahead for the family she knew, but what was going to happen next would've never crossed her mind. Never in a million years.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own Phineas and Ferb. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter two: party fit for a hero

Phineas forced a smile at her. He was about to leave the room when the door downstairs slammed shut, and they shared a look. An upset cry could be heard as well as something break, before things quieted down again. A cold breeze swept through the room from the open window down the hall.

Isabella woke up then and looked out into the hallway, smiling when she saw Candace and Phineas. She left Phyllis on the bed next to Perry.

"Hey guys…" she greeted. "What'cha doin'?"

"We were just about to go downstairs." Phineas said honestly, scratching the back of his neck. Candace giggled at her brother. It was rare to see him in like this, given that he was always so focused on making the summer great for everyone. Now that he was shown in a new light however, it was kind of refreshing for Candace. She knew she was going to enjoy teasing this side of her brother.

"Okay. M-mind if I join you?"

"Uh…sure." he muttered with a blush, and took her head, leading her downstairs. Candace let out a content sigh before following them. The sight that greeted the children was Linda, with her hands on her head. She sat lazily on a chair near the kitchen table, a few meters away from a broken glass that she threw. In the living room not too far away from the group were Ferb and Vanessa. They looked up to watch the scene.

"…mom?" he approached her cautiously; he hasn't seen her like this in a long time. Her actions scared him a little. When she heard his voice she shook her head, and plastered on a smile. She got up from her seat and began to clean up the glass.

"I'm so glad to see you're finally up, Phineas. You really had me worried there."

Phineas shared a look with Isabella and swayed on his feet. He bit his lip. "I'm…sorry."

"For what, sweetie?" she asked, finally turning to look at him. She saw the scar that would always be on his cheek, and she nearly lost it. If only she was there to help him…

"I-I left without saying goodbye to you… I didn't mean it, honest." He answered in a shaky breath, looking down at the floor. Isabella frowned and held his hand tight. It took Linda a moment to regain her composure before smiling, and went over to ruffle Phineas' hair.

"I can't be mad at you for doing a little thing like that. You just saved the world, Phin. It'd be foolish of me." She answered, and her words hung in the air, wrapping around him in a nice hung. Isabella let her lower lip curl up in a smile. She sighed and shared a knowing look with Candace. "So who wants pie?"

The kids all raised their hands and walked to the table. Ferb and Vanessa got up from the couch to sit with everybody. Candace grinned as the tension in the room seemed to lift, and she eagerly helped herself to a piece. Lawrence came up from the basement to the smell of food. He grinned as he greeted his family.

"Evening. What's going on here?" he walked over to kiss Linda before sitting down next to her. Ferb answered for him and showed him a plate of pie. "Oh, yes I'll have some. Thanks."

"Consider it a celebratory present to Phineas for surviving that fall." Linda answered, smiling at her boy. He blushed and continued to eat. The family slowly chatted as time went on, an unspoken apology could be felt. It wasn't until Lawrence picked up his plate to wash that he saw the giant stage outside. Everybody followed his gaze.

Outside was a giant stage already set up, similar to the one Phineas and Ferb made for their parent's anniversary. The Fireside girls, Buford, Baljeet, Irving, and Django were all waiting nearby with wide smiles on their faces. Isabella let out a gasp and turned to Phineas, who already trailed behind Ferb and Vanessa. Candace chuckled and took her hand. "Guess the nights not over yet." She said, to which Isabella nodded, her cheeks flushed.

Their friends cheered once the small group arrived. Baljeet was the first to speak up. "Phineas and Ferb, you're okay!"

"I nearly peed myself not knowing anything." Buford mumbled to himself, and Addison giggled.

Phineas smiled at everyone. "so… what's all this?"

"It's a thank-you-for-saving the world party! Love Handel's going to perform!" Django answered, lulling his head. "We didn't even have to give them money…"

"Seriously? Love Handel? I haven't seen those guys since the _Robot Riot_…" he grinned and twirled Isabella in the air. "Isn't this just awesome? A private concert just for us! Ferb, why didn't I think of that?!" he exclaimed and his stepbrother just chuckled, shaking his head at the two. Isabella's Fireside Girls came over to greet her, many hugs and tears were shed in those few minutes.

Not long after, the band came on the stage, announcing their arrival. Linda and Lawrence came outside to see what was going on; Phyllis and Perry followed suit. Bobbi smiled as he spoke a few words of recognition to Phineas, before strumming his guitar. Danny chuckled and grabbed the mic in front of him. (A/N: the song is _Save the world tonight_ by Swedish House Mafia. I can't think of a better song to be played here than this)

_**We're far from home, it's for the better **_

_**What we dream, it's all that matters**_

_**We're on our way…. United**_

_**Turn the crowd up now, we'll never back down **_

_**Shoot up the skyline, watch it in primetime **_

_**Turn up the love now, Listen up, **_

_**Turn up the love… **_

By now everybody had their hands in the air. Candace stood to the sides of the party, leaning against the tree. She smiled as she watched her brothers.

_**Who's gonna save the world tonight? **_

_**Who's gonna bring you back tonight? **_

_**We're gonna make it, you and I **_

_**We're gonna Save The World tonight **_

_**Oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oh oh oh **_

_**Oh-oh-oh oh oh oh oh oh oh **_

_**Oh oh oh oh oh oh… **_

The music cranked up louder as impressive fireworks began to shoot up into the night sky. Even Linda and Lawrence danced as well, inching their way into the crowd. Perry and Phyllis just stood where they were, taking in the sights. A small, happy sigh escaped from her as she leaned against Perry, wondering if this was all just a dream.

Candace was about to leave when she spotted Jeremy by the gate, his eyes wide with shock. She called him over.

"Jeremy! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed over the loud music. He laughed.

"I… just came to check to see how the family was doing. I heard Phineas woke up from his coma so I wanted to say my condolences." He answered honestly, hugging Candace by the waist. She smiled up at him.

"Awe, that's sweet Jeremy. Everything is fine on our end… I hope..." she trailed off as Jeremy's eyes scanned the crowd, and he broke into another smile.

"He got the hints?" He asked her, gaping at the scene. The inventor was dancing close to Isabella while she held his hand tight. Both of them had blushes on their faces. She nodded giddily .

"He didn't even have to say it! We all knew what was up the moment he stepped out of that biosphere."

"Good for him." Jeremy smiled, and took her hand in his. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's dance!"

Only a few hours passed and the party was in full swing. Vivian came by to check on her daughter because she heard the loud music, but she stood where she was. From a distance she could see Phineas twirling Isabella in the air, each of them baring happy, innocent smiles. If that wasn't enough proof for her friend Linda, than what else could they do? With a sigh, she simply just shook her head at the memory.

Deciding that Isabella could come home on her own, she turned around, and walked into the house with Pinky.


	3. Chapter 3

**Has anyone ever noticed that towards the end of season three, Phineas starts to show a romantic interest in Isabella? oooh, it was so cute to watch! x3 ****read and review :D **

**Disclaimer: Nuuu... I don't own Phineas and Ferb. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter three: consequence

Even though the sinister feeling in the air became devoid that night, Phineas couldn't rest easy. His mind kept on racing a mile a minute. About Perry, his talk with Candace, the party his friends threw for the inventor, (which eventually the entire city heard of) Ferb, and… Isabella. He knew she forgave him, she told him more than a million times already, but he felt like because he realized her feelings too late it left a hole in his heart. He couldn't forgive himself for it. The crushed look on her face when he denied her request to hang out with him practically broke him now—he never knew he could be affected so badly. _I just can't forgive myself. That's my problem. _

Sighing, he sat up in bed. He glanced over at Ferb who was still sound asleep, letting out a light snore. Phineas chuckled and carefully and walked towards his dresser. On it was the set of keys Perry gave him and he picked them up. He stared at the set for a while longer before searching through a cabinet. Smiling, he pulled out a string attached to a ball of yarn, and cut it. Before Phineas knew what he was doing, he tied the string into the hole of the key and around his neck. He frowned at the sight, remembering it clear as day. He yawned as he wiped his tired eyes. _I'll wear this set of keys until all bets are off… it's… the only punishment I can think of. _

He shook his head and was about to go back to sleep until he heard voices downstairs. Phineas's curiosity got the best of him then.

"Given the circumstances involving your son, I don't see any reason why we should erase your memories." Major spoke, his arms crossed. "The affects would be drastic to your family." Carl, Perry, and Phyllis were beside him. Linda and Lawrence sat on their couch.

"We already had a talk with Vivian. We gave her the green light." Carl answered, smiling a little. He shared a look with Major. "Isabella is aware of the case as well."

"I see. But what about Phyllis? Is she going to permanently stay in the agency?" Linda asked. She eyed the purple platypus with a small frown. Perry chattered.

"No. There's not enough room. I was actually hoping if she could live with you from now on." Major replied, hoping the family would take her in. Lawrence smiled and answered for Linda; he patted Phyllis on the head.

"Why, we thought you'd never ask. She's in good hands with us. I'm pleased she's already taken a liking to Perry." He said, smiling at Major and Carl. Linda nodded.

"Guess we'll have to double up on platypus food."

"Oh, I'm sure it's not going to be that hard." He chided, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek. "The boys and Candace'll be thrilled."

Major grinned as he looked over in Phineas' direction. The boy returned the action as he rubbed the small of his neck in embarrassment. "… I guess you won't have to repeat it."

Linda turned to see who he was pointing to. She frowned. "Phineas, what are you doing up? It's past your bedtime!"

He smirked and walked down the stairs, looking sheepish. "Eh… sorry mom. I just can't sleep. My clock is a little out of whack." She shook her head at him, the corners of her mouth curling up in a small smile.

"Oh well. That'll do for now. You've met Francis and Carl before haven't you?" she asked, and Phineas nodded. Carl leaned over to his boss as he chuckled.

"Hehe… your name is Francis."

"Shut up Carl."

He grinned at the exchange. The last time he saw the boss was when he had to get his memory forgotten. "Yes. It's good to see you again sir. Thank you for letting us keep our memories."

Major nodded. "Anytime soldier. Oh, and good luck with your new relationship." He added, causing the boy to blush a brilliant shade of red. Linda looked indifferent to the exchange while Lawrence passed her an awkward glance. "If you need any advice you can always come to me."

"…sure thing."

Carl looked up at Major. "Sir, shouldn't we tell them about Professor Wilde?" Major's eyes grew wide as he slapped his head.

"Guh. I forgot what we originally came here for." He cleared his throat and stared at the intrigued family. "As you know most of the top secret science labs have been destroyed because of the Norm-bots. Professor Wilde, the top chemist, is currently holding an expedition to see if there are any remaining weapons near Destructicon's base that could potentially cause harm to our citizens. With the new information, we would then be able to start reconstruction. It would be an honor if Phineas, his brother, and maybe a few of his friends could come along."

Linda smiled at her son, already knowing the answer judging by the look on his face. "Well… what do you think, Phin?"

He broke out into a wide grin. "… I know what I'm going to do tomorrow!"

Lawrence chuckled as he shook hands with Major. "That's a yes. Pleasure meeting with you Mr. Major. Surely you'll visit more often? My wife bakes wonderful pie."

"As long as it doesn't have cheese. Apparently I'm not cleared by doctors." He grumbled as him and Carl turned to leave. Linda giggled at the exchange, waving her hand goodbye. "See you soon, then."

The family grew quiet as the door slammed shut, the sound of crickets occasionally heard. It only took a few seconds for Perry to regain his composure, running over to Phineas with open arms. He laughed and accepted the hug, the two falling to the ground in a heap. Soon Phyllis decided to run over as well, giving her new owner a hug around his neck as a thank you. _Too many memories, _He thought with a smile.

Lawrence smiled at his son and helped him up, leading him in the direction of the stairs. Perry and Phyllis followed suit. "Time for bed Phineas. You have a big day tomorrow."

"I-I can't wait!" he exclaimed, almost ready to burst with excitement at this new mission. Linda giggled as she leaned down to kiss him.

"Of course you can, sweetie. Now go back to sleep." She urged, and Phineas finally ran up the stairs to his bedroom. Once he disappeared she let out a tired sigh, leaning against Lawrence's shoulder.

"Everything will be alright, dear." He murmured and wrapped an arm around her. Everything will be alright."

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There is a cold, dark place just at the edge of the tri-state area. Nobody knew it was there. It loomed in the shadows, hidden behind the city's sunny optimism. It was a place fit for a dreadful scientist.

Alt-Doofenshmirtz glared at his scarred hands, his mind swirling with past events. Before the base was destroyed he managed to escape from it, trailing to find any place to live from then on. He never knew how much he wanted revenge. It seemed now he had a perfectly good reason for it, since Phineas got away with only a scar. _Phineas. _

The very name made him red with anger. His hands flared with fire as he smashed a shelf nearby him. He wanted the boy to suffer. He wanted to make him pay for defying his needs. He…

He stopped when he walked towards a monitor, showing the boy, his family, and his pet platypus. He let out an angry cry and smashed it, letting the broken pieces fall to the ground. _I'll finish what I started. I'll rip him apart. Th-the only way to make him come to me, willingly, is through his little girlfriend… _He stared back up at the screen, where a crack shown through her left eye. _The greatest memory he cherishes… _


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter introduces my Oc, and what Alt-Doofenshmirtz will do now that he has a new plan. I hope you enjoy the read :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas. Or Ferb. But I do own Phyllis, Professor Wilde, Ace, and Andrew. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter four: below the high ground

Ferb yawned, stretching his arms. He was just about to reach the alarm clock until he heard a soft chuckle from the other side of the room. Phineas smirked at him as he took his arm away from the alarm clock.

"…I beat ya, Ferb! Hehe. That never gets old." He giggled, falling into his slippers. Ferb shook his head and did the same, with Phyllis on his shoulder. She slept on his side of the room while Perry decided to stay on Phineas'.

"You're cramping my style." Ferb muttered to himself, and Phineas laughed even harder. They continued their daily routine like any other morning. Not one thing was mentioned about the battle, Doof, or Isabella. It was just them. For once, both boys were happy about that. Peace and quiet never felt so nice before.

As Phineas finished combing his hair and brushing his teeth, he began to tell Ferb about the events that would happen today. He listened eagerly; he was more than happy to be able to do a little adventuring, and not have to worry about his family being in danger from a crazed scientist. The two walked (or rather, skip) downstairs into the living area, where Candace sat on the couch. Lawrence was already at the antique store, while Linda decided to stay home and take the kids over to the science lab. Candace waved her brothers to come over.

"Hey, look! You're on the news!" She exclaimed, cranking the volume up louder. Phineas frowned as he sat next to her with Perry on his lap and Ferb on the other side.

"_Three weeks ago, as we all remember, Doctor Heinz Doofenshmirtz tried to take over the world with an alternate version of himself from a different dimension. The punishment as to what we should do with him still stands. We may have to take a public vote. Anyways… when all hope deemed lost, Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher, two local boys who can create the impossible, took on the beast. We have no idea where he is now, or if he'll try and fight back for revenge, but all we can do now is marvel at the creativity of these extraordinary boys. This, as a message from Mayor Roger himself, is a day we'll always remember. ….and now let's go back to the weather. Karen?" _

The screen shut off and Ferb turned his face to look at Phineas, who made his way towards the kitchen. Candace stared at her brother with her mouth agape. "I thought he'd be excited about that…"

"Give him time." Ferb muttered, and with Phyllis on his shoulder, walked into the kitchen for some breakfast.

000000000000000

The sun rose high as Alt-Doofenshmirtz struggled to fix the Other-Dimension-inator. He found the shattered parts from his alternate's apartment, and took it back to where he currently resided. Before he kidnaps Isabella he needs assistance from his own dimension. He needed her because she knew every nook and cranny, every weakness of the common citizen. She was a much better help those years ago than that sorry excuse for an evil counterpart.

Still grumbling to himself, Alt-Doofenshmirtz plugged in the final wire to the machine. He looked up in expectation and frowned when a green portal didn't show. He let out a cry as he kicked the base. He just stared at it for a few seconds. He was about to turn and find more tools when the thing suddenly came to life. He smiled, and, holding the upgraded remote, clicked the red button.

_THUD _

He coughed as he tried to regain his posture. Tucking on his dark cape, he flew down the street, into an ally way he saw nearby. He moved so quick the wind couldn't keep up with him. He chuckled to himself as he took this one chance to look at his surroundings. His dimension changed a lot in the one year he was in prison. No garden gnome could be seen. The buildings where he plastered his face on were completely bare. And the people! His subjects! He glared as they passed by him quickly, minding their own business. They were… smiling.

He shook his head and looked away from them, his mind trailing off. He walked into another ally way, and saw the rusted door that shown like a beacon. He grinned as he let himself in, all connections from the outside world suddenly disappearing.

"About time you showed up." A woman's figure said, grinning.

0000000000000

Phineas and Ferb eagerly peered out the window, admiring the building's impressive architecture. Buford, Baljeet, Isabella, and (surprisingly) Addison and Ginger were in the back seat of the mini-van. They had all wanted to check out the place as soon as Phineas finished explaining it to them. Ferb wanted Vanessa to come along too, but she wanted to spend time with her mother. He tried his best not to be phased by that.

Linda smiled at the small group and pulled up the car to the parking lot. "We're here kids. Be careful, this i…" she didn't even get the chance to finish her sentence as Phineas and his friends got out of the car, making their way towards the front gate. She shook her head.

"IYEEEEE! Imagine all of the things that we could discover!" Baljeet squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. Buford rolled his eyes while Ginger giggled.

"Might as well call this place Nerd-topia." He muttered to himself, putting his hand on his head to make him stop jumping.

"Leave him alone Buford…" Ginger chided, glaring at the bully. He passed her an odd look. "..."

Phineas wasn't paying attention to them as he tilted his head at the door. "Hmm. Should we let ourselves in?" Ferb frowned and pointed to the security system next to them. "Ohh… I get it. Guess I should buzz for somebody."

"I think we're looking for Professor Wilde, remember?" Isabella spoke up, looking idly at the security system.

"Yeah," Phineas murmured, and pressed the button, a voice coming over the speaker saying that she'll be down in a minute. They waited in silence for a few moments before the giant metal doors opened up, revealing a long hallway. Ahead of them a weird sound could be heard, almost like an engine of some kind. The figure then became clearer. It was a boy about Candace's age, on an electric scooter. He parked right in front of the kids smiling.

"Hey, are you the group that wants to see Professor Wilde?" he asked and Phineas nodded. "Sweet! She's my mom. I'll take you to her." he announced and the group began to walk down the hall.

Buford eyed the strange boy curiously. He folded his arms. "Aren't you a little old to be riding a scooter?"

He smirked at the bully, turning around to face him. "This, my friend, is no ordinary scooter. It runs on vegetable oil! I got so peeved when the scooter company decided to create the new electric one, but it was so bad for the environment! So I got tinkering and… well, created this. My brother Ace wasn't as excited as I was. He's more of a computer dude."

Phineas smiled at him and nodded. "I hear ya. It's amazingly designed too."

"Word. Oh I'm an idiot," He stopped them with his hands. "The names Andrew Wilde. I heard about your achievements and personally, I think that's awesome. Able to kill that bad guy just himself? Man." Andrew then looked at the group with a grin, and accepted them as a whole. "You dudes too. A hero always can't go on without his friends by his side…. Erm, and his mom." He added sheepishly, and Linda rolled her eyes at the boy. She took the complement.

They walked in silence as they turned a corner and passed a few locked doors. The laboratory was so quiet this time of day. Andrew grinned as the group came in front of a door that marked DO NOT ENTER. He looked back at the group and pushed it open.

His mother was focused on an experiment; a mysterious, purple liquid segmented in a bottle, accompanied with many others of different colors. She looked up at the group as soon as she heard the sound of Andrew's engine. "Honey, what did I say about bringing that scooter into my workspace?"

"Uh… you didn't." He replied, scratching his head.

Professor Wilde shook her head and walked away from her table. She wore a white lab coat and a blue undershirt; her long brown hair fell down to her knees, tied in a scrunchie. Her face was plump and motherly, but her eyes shone bright with youth. "You must be Linda Flynn, the woman Major Monogram told me about." She smiled and shook Linda's hand. "I can't believe I'm finally meeting you."

"That's me. This is my son Phineas and his step-brother Ferb. They brought some friends along as well. I hope you don't mind." Linda introduced; everyone waved their hands in greeting.

"Nah, it's not a problem, we need all the help we can get for today." She assured her and took off her white gloves. She then turned to her oldest. "Andrew call your brother. He needs to get off his lazy behind for once in his life."

"On it," Andrew saluted, and turned leave the room. He crashed into a fellow scientist though, having to yell _SORRY!_ as he whizzed past. The professor shook her head at him. She then motioned for the group to follow her into the room. It became narrow after each step they took, leading them to yet another door. She sighed and typed a few codes into the computer nearby so it could open.

"This facility was built underground so no one could get into it, and no one could destroy it." She began over the kids muttering. "I was pleased, no, ecstatic that this didn't get damaged in any way from the robot riot. Both times, in fact."

A bright light suddenly shined on them and revealed a room. It looked smaller than your average kitchen from the outside, but Professor Wilde really did know how to maximize space. Ferb felt his jaw drop to the ground; Phineas chuckled at his reaction.

"This is where we had to evacuate to." She muttered, frowning at the memory. She pulled out a remote from her pocket and pressed the button, the screen showing Doctor Destructicon's old base. Or, what was left of it. "So today, we're going back to the crime scene. We have to search for any items that could potentially cause harm to our reconstruction."

"Just… who was Doctor Destructicon anyways?" Addison asked, breaking the silence that filled the room. "He seemed pretty close to the Heinz dude."

Professor Wilde sighed. "He was a notorious criminal, back when we didn't really have the OWCA or the greatest technology. He became (from what our recourses can find out) a mentor to Doofenshmirtz in his prime years before we finally hunted him down. We thought the base was blown up on a mission Agent P completed, but later on we realized that it was only a cover up. I don't know how long he held up that act."

Linda frowned as she listened to the story. She looked over at her son who was soaking everything up like a sponge, a huge grin spread across his face. Even Ferb had a similar expression. "Right. So… when do we start?" she asked, causing all eyes to turn on her.

The professor smiled. "It's your call, mom. You say it's a go, we go. If not, then I'll hire some other people to check the place out."

Phineas stared at her with the most pleading look on his face. She giggled at his reaction, knowing that if she refused she'll never live it down. "Okay, okay. Let's go check it out."


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay. I'm really, really, REALLY excited about chapter five. I don't know why. Maybe because its another filler. Or maybe we get to see some Ginger/Baljeet action. Either way, I'm glad I got the chance to type it up tonight. **

**As a side note, where are you guys? I only got TWO reviews for the last chapter... I mean, I'm not sounding pushie or anything and I'm glad you're taking the time to read... but review make me smile. :D sorry... just keep that in mind. If you read this, type_ Skiddley Whiffers_ on your review. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Phineas and Ferb. Only my Oc's. That are mine. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter five: discoveries at the uncharted base

The wind beat against Isabella's hair as she stared out into the ocean. She sat next to Phineas while Ferb was on the other side. Buford and Addison were across from her, arguing about something, while Ginger and Baljeet were at the edge of the boat. Andrew and Ace sat on in a corner next to them. Linda and Professor Wilde sat up front by the steering wheel.

She sighed and looked down at herself in the water. _Everything happened so suddenly… _she thought, _I know I should be happy that Phineas and I are finally together, but… that's the last thing on my mind now. I knew that if we weren't together, if I never sang to him in that biosphere, it'd be the same as always… _She looked over at Phineas, who stared at the water below. _I'd try to flirt… say something to get his arm around me, and he just won't get it… I guess the one memory that we weren't supposed to remember helped that push… _

She smiled and kissed his cheek. Phineas blushed as he turned to look at her. "Wh-what was that for?"

"Just letting you know how cute you are," she answered boldly, turning a few shades of pink. She bit her lip. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Phineas."

He frowned, putting a hand on the set of keys around his neck. "I have… no idea what you're talking about."

"What, do you think I'm BLIND? Phineas, I can hear your thoughts! Literally! Stop punishing yourself and live a little. I… I don't like seeing you in this state…"

Buford raised his hand. "Well if you ask me the keys make a nice touch."

"Shut up Buford." Addison glared.

Phineas stared at her with wide eyes before turning back to the water. "…why? What's so special about me?"

"_What's so special about you_?" she repeated, clenching her fists. "Phineas, you're the boy who can create the impossible. You built a rollercoaster! You traveled through time! _Twice_! And what's more, you made it up to your best friend by building a water gun arena for not realizing her feelings! I don't care that you had to defeat an evil scientist. I…I'm in love with you Phineas. Th-that's why I stick around." She put her hands on his shoulders. "The feelings only going to get stronger."

"You like that about me, huh?" he asked, completely forgetting the fact that they had an audience.

"This conversation isn't over," she muttered, leaning her head against him. He sighed and held her close to him, tingles shooting up his spine.

"…alright. I guess I deserve that much."

Linda found herself smiling at the young couple. She finally understood by what Vivian meant, when she stated that separating them would only make matters worse. She put herself in Isabella's shoes; sure, she didn't know what it was like to wait forever for somebody to like her, but… she knew what heartbreak felt like. She knew the consequences. Linda sighed and leaned back onto the side of the boat, closing her eyes. _ Maybe I should give them a chance… _

The boat stopped in front of the remains to Destructicon's base. Ashes clung around the structure; the air was still blackened from the fire. When you looked down, not much fish were in the water. Just a few pieces that were a part of the spaceship and nuclear bomb took their place. It was truly a sorry sight to see. Phineas flinched as he remembered his fight, and took his eyes out of the water to look at Professor Wilde.

"Yeah… as you can see the place is destroyed. You kids have at least an hour underwater before you come up for air. Are there any questions?"

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Buford asked, raising his hand. Baljeet gave him a flat look.

"You should've gone before we left the science lab!"

"Quiet, nerd."

Professor Wilde mentally slapped herself and rolled her eyes. "Just go in the water when you get the chance. Okay, everyone ready? Aaaand tip over!" she exclaimed, and the group of friends did what they were instructed. Isabella took Phineas' hand once she got close to him. Together, the two swam towards the wreaked spaceship where everyone else was.

"Wow… now that I see this thing up close it doesn't look so dangerous." He mumbled behind his mask.

The professor put her hand on her chin, picking up a burnt piece of metal. "That's because it's not actually up in the air." She began, "This is some pretty high tech stuff though. I give points to Doofenshmirtz for coming up with impressive technology."

"Hey mom! Bro and I are gonna check out what's left of the base! Maybe we can find some clues. Oh, and you come to Ferb-man." Andrew called, grabbing his little brother's hand. He swam off into the distance. Ferb shared a confused shrug with Phineas before swimming away with the two brothers.

"Beep me if you find anything!"

Phineas sighed as he saw Isabella swim over to Professor Wilde, helping her move away a piece of glass. He moved down so that he could touch the sand, peering at Addison and Buford. The two were looking at a wire that was attached to the nuclear bomb, putting it in a case the professor gave them. Baljeet and Ginger were not that far away either, finding out a way to enter the ship.

He was about to join them when a spark caught his eye. He reared left, looking a distance away from the boat. There, tangled up in seaweed, was a small glass box. He didn't know why he was so intrigued by it, but next thing he knew was that he was letting the current drag him closer.

Finally he took out a carving knife he had in his pocket (he picked one up before they left for the science lab) and began to cut the seaweed.

"So you've been doing this job for thirty years?" Isabella asked, completely occupied by what she was doing. The professor grinned at her.

"Yup. I never get tired of it either." She swam under the broken wing, and reappeared. "When you find something you love doing kid, it doesn't become work anymore." From the corner of her eye, she saw Baljeet and Ginger near a door-like entrance. "Hey! You guys found a way in?"

"It's… it's pretty hard to open up though… I-I think this is it." Baljeet muttered, fiddling with the handle. Ginger put a hand on his shoulder.

"The door needs a little push, Jeet." She says, and swam back before ramming her shoulder into it. She tumbled into the exterior of the ship. Baljeet gasped and went over to her side, looking up at his surroundings. Isabella and Professor Wilde shared a curious glance before they decided to investigate.

"W_hoa_..." the fireside girl said in wonder, admiring all the new technology. She was about to take another step but the professor held out her arm, shaking her head. Baljeet blushed as he got off of Ginger and held out his hand.

"Let me scan this place first." She told her, taking out a weird-looking watch. The place was suddenly engulfed in a green light as it checked for any living objects. She smiled and typed a few digits in the watch, causing the same light to disappear. "Nope. This place hasn't been used yet. Looks like we called dibs."

Baljeet let out an excited squeal as he swam over to the control panel, staring at everything and anything that was new to him. Ginger rolled her eyes and swam after him, leaving Isabella and Professor Wilde. She smiled down at Isabella, nodding over to the small area in front of her.

"Do ya wanna check the place out… Isabella, was it?"

Suddenly realizing Phineas wasn't with her, she heard his thoughts by the boat. He seemed to be interested in something else. She shook her head. "Ahh, sorry Professor W. I think I'm going to check on Phineas. I hope he's okay."

"Oh. He's your boyfriend, right? The one with the keys around his neck?" she giggled and waved her hand. "I don't mind it if you go after him. Shout if you need anything."

Isabella smiled and nodded, swimming out of the ship. Phinea's thoughts got louder and louder the closer she got to the boat. He was intrigued. Curious. Mystified. Astonished. But by what? Just what was he looking at that could make him think this way? She stopped in her tracks when she saw a shiny bright light tucked in a glass bottle. Soon she was drawn to it as well, and saw Phineas' figure hovered over it. As she looked closer, she saw that the light was actually coming from a rock; Phineas reached his hand into the bottle, his curiosity getting the best of him for the first time in a while. The colors coming from it were a pretty mix of blue and hot red, almost as bright as the sun. She was suddenly jolted back into reality when Phineas cried out in pain—a blue streak of light pricked his finger, flowing through the blood of his veins, and resting at his battle scar. It dulled as quick as it came. Even the light in the bottle stopped glowing, turning back to just an ordinary rock.

All that Isabella registered in her mind was that Phineas is hurt. She swam towards him and smacked the bottle out of his hands, grabbing his shoulders. "Phineas! What happened?" He blinked several times to regain his focus. Everything was so _dizzy_…

"I…Isabella!" He only managed to gasp, forcing his lips to curl up in a small smile.

She let out a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around him. "You scared me for a second there. C'mon…" she says, and looked up at the tank on her back. "Our oxygen tanks are running out of air. We have to get going."

"Yeah, let's go." He agreed. Once Isabella turned around however, he looked back at the rock. He couldn't fight the urge anymore as he picked it up from the bottle and placed it in his pocket. In the back of his mind all he knew was that Doofenshmirtz was behind this. The one that wanted to kill him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Delilah isn't my oc... remember the episode Chez Platypus where Doof actually found love, but his ray backfired on him? There's gotta be an alt-version of her too, right? Every evil villain has to have a sidekick... I hope you enjoy the chapter. **

**Read and review! :) **

**Desclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb-just my Oc's. Everything else belongs to Disney. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter six: the ballad of doofenshmirtz

"Hey Ace, didja find anything?" Andrew called, picking up a stone. It looked like it had been attached to some sort of equipment.

"No. It's just embedded rock left over." He frowned, scratching his blue hair that went into his eyes. "Do you know how the bomb even _exploded?_ The thing should've destroyed Danville! From my calculations, it was around thirty feet in length!"

Ferb stared at Andrew with an odd expression on his face. He shrugged. "Yeah, I said he was quiet, but I didn't say he was a blabbermouth that wouldn't shut up if he found something interesting." He grinned and turned to his brother. "Huh. I guess we'll just have to ask mom about that."

Ferb sighed, the memories rushing back to him like a waterfall. He remembered going into the ship to dismantle everything, the cries of the Resistance deafening his ears… he couldn't even make sense of what he was doing. He was having an out-of-body experience during that time. Well, everybody was. Even still, despite having to foil the plans to an evil scientist, it marked one of the greatest adventures in history. He was just as happy as his brother was that they could keep not only Perry, but Phyllis as well, living proof of the battle. Andrew said something to him then, snapping the boy out of his daydream.

"Did you find something, Ferb?"

He shook his head. "There is only a memory here. Nothing more."

"Bah, what a bummer," Andrew grumbled, throwing the stone into the water.

The green haired boy looked for the boat, smiling when he saw his mum watching him. She gave him a small wave. Then his eyes traveled a distance away and spotted red hair coming out of the water. He squinted so he could see better.

"Hey Ferb!" Isabella called, waving. "Is there anything there?"

He frowned looking back at Andrew and Ace. The two were just plowing away at rock. A few seconds later Professor Wilde, Baljeet, Ginger, Buford, and Addison came out of the water.

"Whew! Great work today guys. We'll take this stuff back to the lab." She exclaimed, and the group began to swim to the boat. Andrew grinned as he practically jumped head-first into the water.

"You found something mom?" he asked, a wide smile on his lips. Ace slapped his head as he shared a glance with Ferb.

The professor nodded. "Sure did. Mind helping us out?" she asked, and lifted up a wing-like contraption. Andrew eagerly swam over to her and grabbed Ace's hand the moment he could. Ferb clenched his fists to his side as a memory suddenly came into his mind:

_Ferb couldn't hear the outside voices anymore as he found himself in the small vent. He knew that if he at least managed to take out the wing of the spaceship, it could cause a distraction and slow everything down. His alternate was shouting something up at him but he couldn't hear. All he focused on was taking it apart. _

"_Ferb!" a sharp cry echoed through the vent, making him turn around. "Come on Ferb, let me help you!" _

_He stared at Vanessa for a long moment before shaking his head, and found a small control box he can use through to cut the wires. She coughed and stayed next to him, taking out an army knife of her own. "Seriously, I watch my dad build stuff. Taking things apart is just as easy!" _

_He was about to protest but held his tong, seeing that they were running out of time. She smiled and began to cut the wires in front of her, the wing creaking against their weight. It happened too soon to take notice of it. The Resistance disabled the bomb. _

_With one, final, grunt the wing fell onto the ground, with Ferb and Vanessa trapped inside. They stayed like that for a few seconds, silent words only spoken, before water began to seep through the holes of the wing. It was over. All they heard was Isabella's scream to let them know. _

He sighed and swam towards the boat, putting a hand on Phineas' shoulder once he got close to them. His brother gave him a small smile of understanding before helping Isabella out of the water. Linda took the girls hand and she too smiled, unable to say anything more. Soon, the gang, along with the new things they found, and left for the science lab.

0000000000000

"Ah, Delilah." Alt-Doofenshmirtz grinned, noticing the woman's EVIL tattoo. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Too long," she muttered sadly. "I missed your reign as Emperor, Heinz. Nothing has ever been the same since Roger took over. What have you been up to anyways?"

Alt-Doofenshmirtz shrugged nonchalantly as he surveyed the apartment he knew so well. The black couch was still there, with matching lights, kitchen and hallway. That's what drew him to this woman. She wore black with style. "Oh, you know. Remember when I tried to take over the other dimension? Yeah. Well my alternate finally decided to grow some backbone and bust me out of jail. Of course, I was only playing the weak guy and take over the job once I got the chance. But… but even with my new powers, I STILL LOST! I CAN'T BELIVE I LOST TO THE SAME ICKY KID!"

Delilahh rolled her eyes at him. "Let me guess, the triangle freak-oid? Honestly. I thought you knew better than to play in the sand pit."

"Apparently I didn't," he muttered to himself. "So anyways, now the people in the other dimension are so stupid because they think I'm dead, and they're putting the blame on my alternate. He lost his memory though. I just don't get that."

Interested, Delilah's eyes grew wide. "How did you escape?"

"Years and years of practice, my love." He answered in a whisper. "I… I have a plan though. I have a plan to take Phineas under my power."

"You're going to capture his little girlfriend aren't you?" She smiled, rolling her eyes when Alt-Doofenshmirtz nodded. "Alright, I'll see if I can track her down." That said, the two walked into another room, and slammed the door shut.

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Professor Wilde set the last of the discoveries onto the floor of her lab. She grinned at the small group of kids. "Thanks again for everything you guys. Feel free to stop by any time."

"It's been fun." Linda replied, shaking hands with her.

They were lead outside the science lab talking animatedly about what they found. Buford held Baljeet as if he was a carry-on, while Ginger yelled at the bully to put him down. Addison just laughed. Andrew and Ace stood next to their mother and smiled at the scene. "You know mom," Andrew began, "I think you might need to start hiring these kids. We haven't gotten anything done so fast before."

"It's not up to me to decide, sweetie. I'll have to talk to the big boss about that." She giggled, ruffling his hair. "But you're right; they do show promise."

"I guess they're okay." Ace murmured, folding his arms. His brother smiled and shook his head.

"Welp," The professor said as the car drove out of the parking lot and down the street. "Let's get something to eat boys. Hungry?"

"YEAH!" Andrew exclaimed, and hopped on his scooter that was next to the door. Ace groaned at his brother's enthusiasm before following, closing the door behind him.

Linda turned up the radio as the gang laughed, eager to go home. They were almost in Danville when her phone buzzed, and Phineas looked at her warily. She frowned at him with a knowing look and picked it up, revealing Candace's profile. She took a deep breath. "Yes dear?"

"_Mom, mom you have to come quick_!" A loud mob of voices drowned her out. Linda stared at the phone oddly.

"…Candace? What's wrong? Did you throw a party without me knowing again?"

"_It wasn't a party it was an intimate get-together!" _She snapped, screaming as if someone pushed into her. Another voice, probably Stacy, told her to get onto the sidewalk. "_Oh, forget about that. You just gotta come over to the town hall. The place is a riot!" _

Linda frowned as she moved the phone onto her shoulder so she could drive better. The noises became louder until a gun flared, and she stopped the car in the middle of the street. She took a deep breath. "Candace, honey, what was that?"

"_Just… come!"_ Candace exclaimed, shutting off the phone. Ferb stretched over the seat and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sensing our sister wants us to meet her." He says, and Linda nodded. Isabella reached for Phineas' hand. "We should probably go."

Linda sighed and put the car in reverse, ignoring the angry shouts of protests from the other drivers. She drove in silence as Danville became closer and closer. She suddenly heard the deafening sounds of a mob cry, and she peered down the street. Isabella clutched onto Phineas' hand tighter as they all saw what their mother was looking at. There, on the stage, was Mayor Roger himself. He glared at the growing crowd as his brother was tied up in chains.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Phineas and Ferb- only the characters I created. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter seven: Merciful heaven, hear my cry

Linda gasped as she and the kids piled out of the car, running over to where she spotted Candace and Stacy.

"When did this happen?!" she asked her and grabbed her shoulders.

Candace gulped. "P-pretty soon after you left. I tried calling Vanessa and leaving her a message but she wouldn't pick up!"

"This _clearly _goes above 100% on the crazy-scale." Stacy muttered to herself and looked at the small gang of friends. She smiled when she saw her sister. "Hey, Ginger."

"Wh-whats gonna happen now?" the girl muttered, hugging Stacy around the waist. She couldn't answer though because the mayor ordered everyone to be quiet.

He cleared his throat as he banged his fist on the podium. "Yes. Well, it has come to my attention that this man has played a part of the most disastrous crime scenes in the history of Danville. We do not know how he managed to break into the top science labs and gain nuclear weapons, or have the tools to build a spaceship. As well as a few other things but we won't get into that. So the objective now is what harm should come to him."

"Y-you know tying me up is not necessary… couldn't you like, just put a pair of handcuffs behind my back?" He answered warily, as the camera's turned to him. He went on. "Besides, that wasn't even me half the time… I-I didn't know my memory inator had evil lodged into it…"

The crowd paid no heed to him, unfortunately. "I say we throw him in jail!"

"Chase him out of Danville!"

"Get the man to a mental institute! He has a few screws loose in his head!"

"YEAH!"

"MAKE HIM _PAY_!"

The shouts became one as the crowd roared even louder, and Doof's face went blank. Sympathy washed over Phineas once everything clicked in his head, but the more the crowd protested the more his scar hurt with anger. He gasped as his hands suddenly began to grow bright with blue flame. He didn't waste a second to fire, leading the flames in the direction of the podium where the mayor stood.

As the podium crashed and burned, the entire city lapsed into a stunned silence.

"…yeah… he's cracked…" Candace whispered, staring at her brother in awe. Phineas' mind was whirling with this newfound ability, but he snapped himself out of it, storming near the stage.

"Listen, he's not the guy you want! He's innocent!" He glared, his hands flaring with blue fire again.

"How can you say that WITH NO PROOF?" Roger demanded and clenched his fists.

"How can you go against your own brother?!" Phineas challenged. The crowd gasped and began to whisper amongst themselves, a flicker of embarrassment was seen in Roger's eyes, but he spoke nothing of it. "We're wasting our time blaming things on a man who's barely a threat!"

His heart was beating fast as Roger peered down at the boy with a sly grin. "Well, what options do you have, hero?"

Phineas couldn't answer him. For the moment, he was speechless. He tried to back away from his elder's harsh stare, only to trip on a rock underneath his feet. He sighed, looking at the ground. Roger grinned in triumph as he walked towards the podium. He suddenly had another interruption though, and saw Vanessa's long brown hair in the crowd. "No…! Get off me you jerk!"

"_Vanessa?_" Ferb uttered, peering over Phineas and Isabella. She was roughly pushed to the ground and glared at her uncle.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said. "Did you even stop to hear his side of the story? My dad was just overcome by loss and jealousy, because _you_ never gave him a chance! He created that memory wipe-inator to help him remember the day of the robot riot, so he could get help from his alternate. Unknown to him he spiked it with evil to give him an extra boost!"

Roger ran his fingers through his hair. "Stop making this a family matter, Vanessa. Go home and let me handle this."

"NO!" she screamed, startling everyone. "It's always been a damn family matter! You can't punish dad for something he had no control over!"

"I'll call your mother…" he growled, but Vanessa still held her ground.

"You're seriously going _**there**_**?**" Vanessa threw her arms up in frustration, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. "For crying out loud, don't do this! Phineas is right, we're wasting time!" Suddenly, the crowd seemed to come to their senses. They begged and pleaded along with her. Roger Doofenshmirtz glared at them and rubbed the back of his neck.

_This is going to be so bad for my next campaign… _he thought to himself; the possibilities of failure were gnawing at his throat. He sighed, and albeit with less confidence than he had before, ordered the crowd to be quiet. "Okay. I guess we'll have to take a vote now." He said. "Who thinks that this man—Heinz Doofenshmirtz, should be thrown in jail, prosecuted, ridiculed, or any of the above?"

Nobody raised their hand. In those few seconds, Ferb caught Vanessa's gaze. A small, proud smile spread across his lips, giving her all of the support she needed.

"Those opposed?"

Everyone ended up raising their hand. When the crowd realized this, they broke into a loud cheer, knowing that the mayor had no control over the matter anymore. He shook his head and turned to address the crowd again while keeping an eye on a certain family.

"Right well, now that everything's settled… release him." he ordered to the guards; his lips curled into a thin line. He didn't even spare a glance at his brother. Heinz sprawled on the floor once the chains were free and his daughter ran over to hug him. "BUT! ...on one condition. You have to help fight when we face off the real danger. Can you do that?"

"It's the least I can do. I'm really sorry about all this, Roger…I really am." He trailed off when he realized that his brother wasn't listening to him anymore, discussing to the crowd about another political matter. Vanessa smiled knowingly at her father as she wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to shield him from the outside world.

0000000000000

A few hours later, the gang finally made it home. Nothing out of the ordinary happened once they got there; the parents went up to their bedroom while the kids stayed in the living room to watch a good old action movie. Somewhere between the pillow fight, and Buford chucking popcorn at everyone, Vanessa slipped outside into the night air.

She sat down on the back porch with her hand slightly rested on her cheeks, her mind elsewhere. She knew deep in her heart all along that it wasn't really her father doing the evil planning. She never had the courage to speak it out loud however, fearing of being ostracized. Today though, when she saw her father publicly humiliated by her uncle, she couldn't just sit there and wait any longer. A small smile tugged against her lips as she thought of the boy who supported her then, and the boy who shot fireballs into the sky to shut the crowd up.

_I can't believe they would do something like that… _she thought, putting her head on her knees. _For someone like ME. _She didn't feel the breeze that whisked by her then or that the screen door opened.

Ferb approached her figure cautiously for he her sobs from the inside. He had a good guess as to what she might be upset about, but he didn't know how to calm her. A few minutes must've passed before he finally put his hand on her shoulder. Vanessa gasped and looked up to see who it was.

"Oh. F-Ferb," she muttered and hid her face so she could wipe her eyes. "Today was… interesting. Wasn't it?" Her smile faltered as she rested her head on her knees. "Who am I kidding? My life can't get any worse than this. Thanks for being there Ferb, and cheering me on, b-but, I… even if people let dad off the hook our family will always be treated the same. Sometimes, I don't even think I have a family anymore."

Ferb shook his head as more tears came down Vanessa's cheeks. Realizing he couldn't hold it in any longer, he put his hand on her cheek and dried her tears. They stared at each other for a few moments before Ferb finally leaned in to kiss her, pecking her softly on the lips. He didn't intend it to be passionate, or steamy, just a way to tell her that everything'll be alright. To Vanessa though, she felt fireworks. She would never dream that _**Ferb**_ of all people would be the one to comfort her in a time of need… and yet here he was, in the flesh. She thought back to the conversation she had with Isabella only yesterday. Her words repeated themselves in her head, over and over again until it hurt.

The two broke apart from each other and Ferb took her hand in his. "_Listen._ Born into a family or not, it doesn't matter. Your family is people whom you love and will always with. Me, Phineas, Isabella, mum… we're your true family. And we'll stick by you no matter what. Please remember that."

"Th-thank you, Ferb." She whispered, causing the corners of his lips to curl up in a smile.

"Anytime." He replied boldly, puffing out his chest a little. She giggled at him as he helped her up. The two were about to walk back into the living room when Vanessa grabbed Ferb's arm and spun him around to face her.

She blushed under moonlight. "There's… s-something I have to tell you." She says, and Ferb cocked an eyebrow at her. She gulped. _Damnit Vanessa, just come out and say it! _She tried to open her mouth but no words came out. The intensity of his gaze was so frustrating as she sucked in a breath and, grabbing his shoulders, pressed her lips up against his to make it official. The young couple finally understood what Phineas and Isabella shared… it was love. Their future was the only thing now to determine inevitable.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter eight: Like any other day

Alt-Doofenshmirtz rubbed his eyes as the sun slowly began to set. He glanced over at the monitor in front of him, glaring at the twelve year old girl he was after. She was sleeping soundly in her room, cuddled up to her dog Pinky (whom she later found out was a secret agent).

He couldn't be any more frustrated with himself when he found out she lived _right next door_ to his self-proclaimed nemesis. Some might say that chasing after a dream like this is useless, being how he's at the lowest point in his prime. But if it's one thing that this Doofenshmirtz has that his alternate doesn't, it's years of willpower. He smirked to himself and folded his arms.

"Are you done with your self-praising yet, Heinz?" Delilah asked as she walked into the room. "Or should I wait outside?"

"Just one more minute… hang on…" he grinned, holding up his hand. He chuckled when she rolled her eyes. "O-okay I'm done." He stood up from the chair he was sitting in and walked over to the small kitchen.

"_Soo_," Delilah began, putting her hands behind her back. "I get that you want to kidnap the girl to get to Phineas so you can kill him, but one question still remains unanswered for me." She paused, eyeing the doctor with a small frown. He nodded for her to continue as he took a drink out of the fridge. "Just how did you gain that funky new ability with your hands? It's very intriguing."

Alt-Doofenshmirtz grinned as he allowed his hands to catch on fire again, melting the cup in his hands. "What, this? I don't necessarily like to brag but it was truly simple. After I killed Destructicon (poor excuse for a mentor) I went to see if you could actually set fire to the sun. My result was… not what I suspected." He began, looking back at the memory. Delilah tilted her head at him to show that she was interested. "You see, with the fire in my grasp I had on this anti-burn suit (it was those kind of things were you see an AS SEEN ON TV commercial) and launched myself to the core of the sun. I was about to set the fire that Destructicon planned on destroying the sun with. However, as I was about to destroy it a piece of the core cracked under my feet. Amazed that I actually defied the laws of physics, I picked it up. It was gigantic. Like… like the size of a full-grown bulldog. Hey don't give me that look those things are fat!"

"_Riiiight._ And you expect me to believe that you conquered this task before you got thrown prison? Get real, Heinz." Delilah scoffed, giggling a little.

Alt-Doofenshmirtz gave her a flat look before sighing. "It was actually before I even became Emperor. I learned to tame my powers when I practiced in secret. I didn't want to use them the first time I met Phineas Flynn because it wasn't necessary then. But now that I have a new plan to kidnap his girlfriend so I can get him to come to me, conquering the world of both dimensions won't be so far behind. Well, you know what they say, three times the charm." He added with a smirk.

Delilah nodded. "We'll start making the blue prints for the upgraded Norm-bots to pass time."

Alt-Doofenshmirtz smiled at her. "I haven't pulled an all-nighter in a long while." He admitted, and stepped over his mess, followed his 'love' back to the living room.

000000000000000

Isabella woke up to the afternoon sun shining through her windows. Yawning, she sat up in bed with a small smile on her face. "I haven't slept that good in so long… I wonder what time it is?" she mumbled to herself. She lazily glanced over at her digital clock to see it beep to exactly 12:01pm. _Yeah, I needed that extra-long sleep… I hope mama isn't upset with me… _

Just as she wiggled into her slippers, there was a knock at the door. "Oh, good you're already up chicka. I was starting to get worried." Vivian said with a smile. Isabella giggled as she ran over to hug her with Pinky following suit. "You've grow up so fast," she told her, lifting her chin up.

"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

"… it's not every day your daughter finally gets to confess to the guy of her dreams. I'm so proud of you for working up the courage."

Isabella sighed heavenly as she pulled away from her mother, trying to hide the deep blush on her face. "Oh mom. I didn't actually _tell Phineas_ per say… but he did get the message. It was actually that one memory where we kissed that helped him figure it out." She frowned then, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. "B-but, now that he realized it… that I've loved him for so long… he's punishing himself. I… I don't know why he would do something like this… all I want is to spend a few hours alone with him without bringing up bad memories of our past…"

Vivian sighed as she put a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Just think of this as an antidote to when he was oblivious around you before. In time, I know he'll get over it. All you need to do is keep reminding him how much you love him."

Sniffling, Isabella managed to nod at her. "I think I can do that. Y-you're… seriously okay with this? I mean, you don't think we are… too young?"

Vivian shook her head. "No. I can't pull you away from something your heart desires. But you do know you can't _officially_ date until high school, si? I've chalked it over with Linda—that's the only ground rule I'm setting."

Isabella frowned for a few seconds before giggling, not wanting to argue with her about this. "Alright, mom."

"Okay, I've made breakfast. It's in the kitchen whenever you're ready." She says and kissing her daughter on the forehead, she left.

"Hey Ferb… can I borrow you for a sec?" Phineas asked while the family was having breakfast of their own. Quiet muttering was heard as they sped off. Ferb passed his brother an odd look before shrugging, and let himself get pulled into the hallway. Well, he would admit that he was still thinking about that kiss between him and Vanessa to register what his brother had in mind, but even in his thoughts he held his pride.

Phineas took a deep breath before looking at him in the eye. "You saw what happened yesterday right?" he asked, his tone suddenly serious. "…it wasn't just me?"

Ferb blinked and nodded, remembering yesterday all too well. Phineas breathed a sigh of relief. "_Good. _So my powers did come from that stone." Ferb gave him an odd look. "Oh, right. When we had to go on that expedition to Destructicon's base, I found this." He muttered, pulling out the rock from his pocket. He put it in Ferb's hands. "I don't know what drew me to it, but… next thing I know, this strange energy surges through me. Almost like I came alive again." He didn't look at his brother as he stared at the stone in awe. "So, all I know is… it has some sort of connection to Alt-Doofenshmirtz. He's not dead, Ferb. He survived. I don't like it either, it's freaking me out."

"Perhaps… if there is a fight sometime in the future, you practiced your newfound powers? I could build a stimulator." Ferb suggests, and Phineas' eyes lit up.

"You mean, you believe me?"

"Well I wouldn't help you out if I didn't. You don't have to go through this feat alone, you know." He replied, and patted his brother on the shoulder. Phineas grinned.

"Thanks Ferb."

Isabella sighed as she took a deep breath, overhearing the conversation. On the way there she was suffering from a mix of emotions, unsure of how to approach her… sort-of boyfriend. But now, she became that confidence side of her she always wished to be. Phineas frowned as he heard her thoughts before she walked into the hallway.

"I guess… you're helping me out too, huh?" he asked, his cheeks turning red.

Isabella nodded reverently. "You bet dude."

Ferb grinned at the pair as he clasped his hands together, grabbing their attention. "Right. Let's get started shall we?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Merf. Dis chapter took me so long to type up :/ I just couldn't think up of a proper ending... I'm pretty satisfied with what I got now, but I want to know your thoughts. Oh and it was my B-day yesterday :D It's why I couldn't update sooner. Read and review. x3 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just my oc's. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter nine: His redemption

"Ferb, a-are you sure this is safe?" Isabella asked for the fiftieth time. She nervously glanced over at Phineas. He curiously observed his new environment with a wide smile on his face. Ferb didn't say anything as he simply gave her a thumbs up. They had created the device in less than an hour, quicker than when they built the biosphere.

Baljeet and Buford walked into the yard then with Addison and Ginger by their sides.

"Sup Nerds. Why's Phineas in a weird tower-thing? Should I bring a mallet?" Buford asked, causing Addison to chuckle at his side. Isabella shook her head at him.

"It's a stimulator. We're testing out Phineas' new powers."

"…new powers…?" Ginger quietly asked, before remembering when the mayor's podium burned down. "Ooh. Okay, cool. Would this count as a Help Thy Neighbor patch, chief?"

"Not today Gin," She replied, folding her arms. She then smirked and eyed the four knowingly. "So what, you guys confessed while I was cooped up by Phineas in the past three weeks and you didn't even bother to tell me?" Like clockwork the group stepped away from each other and blushed, scratching their heads in embarrassment. Ferb smiled.

"Yes," he answered for her, and turned to Phineas, who gave him an okay nod. He pressed the button on the remote.

"Says the boy who made out with Vanessa last night." Beljeet muttered, earning a few giggles from his friends. Ferb didn't say anything else after that.

Phineas yelped as he dodged a moving bullet, forcing the fire in his hands to destroy it. The thing disintegrated within seconds. _"C'mon Ferb, that the best you got?" _he yelled, catching another shoot by him from the corner of his eye. He grinned and craned his neck so it just moved past him, the entire scene moving in slow-motion. _"Awesome!" _He cried once the bullet was destroyed. Now that he was getting used to this strange ability, he actually really liked it. He felt confident that he could face off against his enemy, if that time ever were to happen. What's even better, his friends were there to support him.

Ferb grinned as he pushed a different button, and this one made a robot appear. It was nothing like the Norm-bots they had to defeat those past few weeks ago; it was skinnier, with a weird smile and more hands. It held a sharp-bladed sword.

"Things just got interesting," Buford mumbled to himself. The small group had made themselves comfortable on the grass. Baljeet whined and hid his face in Ginger's hair.

"Ah, I can't look!"

Candace heard the cheering outside from her upstairs window. She frowned when she saw Phineas in a weird-looking device, throwing fireballs at random objects. "Guh, Phineas and Ferb." She muttered as she shook her head. She put her phone down as she moved towards the window to get a better look at the scene.

Ferb was making the things appear with the push of a remote he held in his hand. Isabella was standing next to him, her arms draped around herself, but she had a confident smile on her face. Their friends Buford and Baljeet were sitting on the grass next to two girls she recognized from being in the Fireside Girls group. Candace let a small smile escape her lips as they cheered Phineas on, who was currently battling off a robot thing.

All of a sudden, Isabella let out a shrill scream as Phineas' blue flame morphed into a sword. He looked stunned for a moment before slashing the robot in its chest, ultimately making it disappear. She didn't waste a second to run down stairs; she wasn't trying to bust them this time however, she just wanted to know what the heck is going on.

"Alright, what are you boys up to?" She asked, glancing back and forth between them. There was a silence that lasted for literally three seconds.

"I… you-what- how did you _do _that?!" Baljeet gasped, moving his hands as he spoke. "Was that supposed to happen?"

"I guess," Phineas answered slowly before he gulped. "I guess not only can I shoot fireballs out of my hands… but I can morph the fire into any weapon I want."

Addison looked like she understood. "Ooh. Like that dude in the Green Lantern Movie—except you don't have a ring." Everyone stared at her. "_What_? I have a life too, you know!"

Candace thought for a moment as she scratched her invisible chin. "Hmm. Wait; why is your fire blue instead of orange? That's the only thing I don't get."

Ferb answered for her as he raised his hand. "My theory is that it symbolizes the color of his soul. Blue is known to resemble loyalty and a pure spirit."

Isabella passed him a flat look. "You got that off the internet." Ferb blushed as he just shrugged for a response, and turned to his brother. Phineas nodded as he pressed the button again, and the same robot appeared.

There was a strong, tense silence as everybody watched the boy battle it a second time. Phineas dodged the first attack morphing the flames into an impressive shield, kicking the robot in its leg at the same moment. He took his chance when he was right above the robots head, and morphed the flame back into the sword. Isabella couldn't wipe off the grin that spread across her face as the robot disappeared. Phineas smiled back at her while he walked out of the stimulator, pumping his fists in the air.

"Well, I hate to admit it. But I am impressed, Phin." Candace said, ruffling his hair.

"…you're not going to bust us? Okay, who are you and WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SISTER?" he shrieked and doubled over with laughter. Ferb rolled his eyes.

"Pfft. I'm way over that. Trust me, you are looking at a new and improved Candace." She announced, standing tall. An American flag that… seemingly came out of nowhere stood behind her.

Isabella smirked as she looked over to see their parent's car parked in the driveway. "We'll see about that."

Candace glanced curiously where she was looking at and waved her hand as a greeting. "Hi, mom!"

Linda Flynn grunted as she struggled to hold the shopping bags. Lawrence rushed over to help her out, dropping his keys in the process, but to him they didn't matter. Finally the two made it in the backyard. She smiled at the boys.

"Hey you two, what did you build today?"

Ferb cleared his throat. "We built a stimulator to help control Phineas' new powers. You know, just in case that crazed scientist attacks us again. It worked absolutely brilliant."

Candace grinned as a moment of silence passed before Linda risked a glance at the impressive machine—which, by a dumb stroke of luck, was still there. The mother finally smiled. "How nice of you Ferb. Candace? Do I have to say it now?"

"Nah, you can go make pie." She muttered in response, walking away as everybody chuckled. Lawrence trialed behind as he wondered where their beloved pet platypus went. Linda giggled at her and opened the door with her foot. She grinned as she glanced back at Isabella and Phineas, who were still by the stimulator. They seemed to be having another one of their silent conversations.

"You kids coming in?"

Phineas blinked and looked up at her, his cheeks turning red. "Um, actually is it okay if me and Isabella go by the park for a few hours? I need to talk with her about something." He mumbled subtly.

"Alright you two. Just be home when it gets dark." She waved goodbye.

Isabella held her breath as they walked down the block in silence, listening to the afternoon critters that passed by. Her thoughts were filled with the boy standing next to her; she knew she couldn't stop pinching herself to wake her up from this dream. They were almost to the park when Phineas cleared his throat.

"So um, there's an ice cream stand down the block. Do you want anything?" Isabella grinned, linking arms with him.

"Yeah! Sounds great." She replied, and they walked to the truck. Phineas grinned as they ordered (he got a cherry soda while Isabella got strawberry) and made their way towards the lake in the park. There weren't a lot of people at this time of day. It was a plus for Phineas and Isabella, that way they can have a talk in peace. He fiddled with his keys as his crush sat on the bench next to him.

"So…ah, is this a date?" she asked suddenly, looking down at the floor as she blushed.

"Hypothetically speaking," Phineas nodded. "My mom told me that we couldn't officially date until high school, even though I asked you when we ran away from that volcano."

Isabella giggled at the memory. "I know. I really should thank Irving the next time I see him." she said as an afterthought, putting her hand on her chin. Phineas shook his head.

"You do that. I'll be in my backyard." He sighed, and the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. A flock of birds flew past them, one pair trailing behind. They circled around each other in a stunning display, not having a care in the world. Isabella leaned her head against Phineas' shoulder as she watched them. The female swooped down and flew in between them. Isabella swore she winked at her, but she couldn't take a second glance as the bird was already a speck in the clouds with her lover right by her.

She closed her eyes as she listened to the noises in the park, relishing this moment. She wanted to tell Phineas that everything will be alright, that he can quit the punishing act. That she forgave him; she'll tell him over and over again until it was lodged in his brain. Isabella opened her eyes as she felt his hand on top of hers. She blushed as she stole a glance at him.

He was staring at her, his gaze curious. Now was a perfect time as any to remind him. She took a deep breath, folding her hand into his own. "…Phineas?"

"Yeah?"

She frowned. "I just want to let you know that I don't care about the past anymore, and I don't care if you want to get me anything to make up for it. Yes, I-I was in pain when you wouldn't get my hints, but… it's not worth getting upset over now. Honest."

Phineas stared at her for a long time before breaking into a wide smile. He closed his eyes. "Thank you Izzie. I guess I have been blowing things out of proportion huh?" His hands found their way to his necklace, and ripped the chain off. He flung the set of keys into the lake next to them. They skipped for only a few seconds until they disappeared. He couldn't wipe off the smile on his face as Isabella leaned her head against his shoulder, and let out a happy sigh.


	10. Chapter 10

**You guys are probably going to hate me for this... oh well xp. Just read and review. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Only Phyllis, Professor Wilde, Andrew, and Ace. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter ten: in the depth of night

"Ah… so this is the Other-Dimension-inator you've been working on?" Delilah queered as she was lead into his small, dusty hide-out.

"You better believe it." Alt-Doofenshmirtz grinned, admiring his work. He looked at the rebooted Norm-bots up against his wall, ready to conquer by just the push of a button.

"Yes, you have improved." She replied in a surprised tone.

Alt-Doofenshmirtz chuckled as he held the remote in his hands. "All right, so, you remember our plan? I kidnap the girl, bring her here, and you order the robots to attack every blockade near the town hall. Then you put a ransom note in the Flynn boy's door, telling him to meet me here or his little girlfriend gets killed."

Delilah grinned at his plan and nodded, eager to just get the job done already. She hasn't picked a fight in a long time.

The evil scientist grinned as he laughed at her, and fired up the machine. A bright green portal opened up to show the other dimension. "…ladies first, dearest."

000000000000000

Phineas felt his neck bristle as a cold wind brushed past him. He and Isabella had decided to leave the park not too long ago. The sun finally disappeared into the night sky, letting the moon have its chance to shine down on their world. Streetlights lit up to help guide their way as well.

He glanced around him warily, getting the oddest feeling that they were being watched. It was a worry that was always on the back of his mind, but now it felt like it was being shoved right into his face. He sensed Isabella felt it, because she gripped his hand tighter than she normally would; her thoughts clouded with fear.

"H-hey," he mumbled to her, and she froze at the sound of his voice. "There's, something I forgot to give to you when you came home from your trip. For some reason I feel that now's the perfect time."

Isabella frowned. "Really? What is it Phin?"

He didn't say anything as he pulled out a watch device from his pocket, and handed it to her. "It was supposed to be the original design for Candace's phone. But as I was thinking about it, I thought how cool it would be if we could somehow talk each other through something like this, with a hologram. I made two, one for me and Ferb, but I feel like you should have this."

Isabella held the small watch in her hand. It looked just like any other, but there was a small array of buttons on the side. One was for contacts, and another was for digital call. Curiosity washed over her as she clicked on a number already installed, and the name appeared on the screen. Then, giggling, she pushed digital call.

A wide screen no more than a few inches apart showed up, along with their bully. He had a microphone in his hands and music blared around him; he was probably in his room, she realized. Phineas tried to hold in his breath as he watched the hilarious scene. (A/N: song is _Over My Head_ by the Frey. For some reason I can picture Buford singing this :p)

_**I never knew **_

_**I never knew that everything was falling through**_

_**That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue…**_

Phineas and Isabella shared a glance, each impressed with the boy's vocals. Who knew their lovable bully could sing so well? Still though… he was singing to a picture frame with Addison's face on it, so that wasn't the only thing that compelled them to keep watching.

_**To turn and run when all I needed was the truth **_

_**But that's how its gotta be**_

_**It's coming down to nothing more than apathy **_

_**I'd rather run the other way than stay and see**_

_**The smoke and who's standing when it clears— ahhh! **_

Buford screamed like a little girl when he heard the phone ring over the blasting music. He dropped Addison's picture onto his floor and went to pick up the phone. He shook his head at who it was and clicked it. "_What is it, girly? I'm busy doing important stuff here!" _

Isabella tried to hold in her laughter as Phineas put a hand on her shoulder to hold himself together. "Y-you listen to the Frey?"

He gaped at the phone before shutting off the radio, and folded his arms. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Dude, we heard it over the p-phone." Phineas chuckled, grinning at Isabella.

Buford sighed as he stared at Addison's picture for a moment. He then gripped the phone tight in his hand. "_Listen. You tell this to my girl, my nerd, or anybody else you're _dead. _OK? The universe is all out of whack. I'll get you back somehow." _

Phineas sighed as he caught the hidden meaning in Buford's words. His hand found its way to Isabella's. "Fine, Bufe. Sheesh."

The bully chuckled softly and hung up, the screen in front of them vanishing back into the watch. Isabella smiled at Phineas for a few seconds until both of them began to laugh, so hard they fell onto the side walk in glee. Their laughter echoed throughout the block, making the dark street a little less menacing. Phineas calmed down first as he stood up, taking Isabella's hand.

"So… uh, you like it then?" he asked her, admiring the way her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"L-like it? I _love _it! Thank you Phineas." She sighed dreamily.

"You're welcome. So… ah, let's go home." The boy began to walk down to his house in a trace, thinking of how the day went. He felt so lucky, being with Isabella. If only, I… He shook his head as he stopped that trail of thought. He promised her he wouldn't think of stuff like that. The corners of his mouth turned into a smile as he moved his hand onto Isabella's.

The scary part is… she wasn't next to him. "Isabella?"

He turned around, expecting her running over to him, but she didn't. A green portal opened up next to her; she was caught in its gloomy trance. He stood frozen as a hand reached out to grab her by the collar. It paused for a second, as if making sure it was really her, before taking her into the portal with it.

Phineas gasped since he finally found his legs to move, and he reached out to grab her foot. He missed. The portal disappeared within a blink of a second. She's… she's gone. Just like that.

_Nooo… no, this can't happen now. Why now? _

"ISABELLA!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Kind of a depressing chapter, but I felt like it needed to be typed up. I... I would suggest grabbing some tissues. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just my oc's. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter eleven: Shatter, shatter, break.

"Phineas… what's wrong sweetie?"

The Flynn family had just finished dinner. Candace was about to walk up to her bedroom when she heard the door barge open, and whipped her head around to see her youngest brother. She didn't say anything as her mother tried to console him.

"You were fine when you took Isabella to the park. Where is she, Phin? You sent her home, didn't you?"

As he heard her name, he lost it. He couldn't hold back his tears as he collapsed onto the ground, shielding himself away from his family. Candace gasped as she ran over to Phineas, wrapping her arms around him. She looked over at her mother with a worried glance. Ferb, who was sitting at the table, walked over. He knelt down on one knee as he looked Phineas in the eye.

Finally after they stared at each other for a long time before he gulped, licking his lips.

"H-he took her, Ferb. She's gone."

Lawrence came up from the basement then, and froze when he saw the scene before him. His wife had an arm around him, with Candace by her side. Ferb noticed that his father came into the room and he looked up, frowning.

"Call the OWCA. **Now."**

It was another long day at the agency. They had managed to restore most of the sights that were destroyed since the Norm-bot attack, but the tri-state area still had some buildings which needed repair. The agents were all getting ready to leave.

Perry and Phyllis were in the common room, just waiting for the day to be over. It was hard to adjust not being able to stop Heinz every day, but there were harder evil scientists to fight, each worst than the last. The platypus smiled at his clone, who, idly played with a strand of her hair that fell into her eyes. The other animals pushed passed them in a hurry. Phyllis let out a shriek as an elephant moved her to the side. She toppled into Perry, and he glared at the animal. She may have been accepted into the agency by Major Monogram and Carl, but his fellow comrades didn't appreciate the idea. They didn't even have to say it to her face.

"_Are you alright?" _Perry chattered, as he grabbed Phyllis by the arm. He stared at her with a knowing smile. She didn't say anything and nodded shyly.

"_Good,"_

Perry passed one final glare to Agent E before they left to the Flynn-Fletcher residence. They took the back way out so no traffic could get in their way. The pair was almost out of the building when they heard a loud trail of voices coming from the vent nearby.

"There's no way we could approach this with a rational mind, Carl. Alternate Doofenshmirts _kidnapped _her. Who knows where they could be now? He's… face it, Carl… he's always had the upper hand."

Phyllis gasped as she stared at the Major and his assistant. She felt a pang of guilt shoot through her heart; something that she hated to remember. She shared a small frown with Perry as he chattered, his paw finding his way into hers. Carl was the first to turn around.

"Oh, Agents. Didn't you sign out for the night?"

The look on their faces told Major all he needed to know. He let out an exasperated sigh, running his fingers through his hair. A failed grin spread across his lips.

00000000000000

"Wh… where are you taking… L-let go of me!" Isabella shrieked, wincing under Alt-Doof's sharp grip. They had been walking in this dark world for a while—the impending silence didn't help ease her nerves. The mad man hadn't answered her though, as his palm continued to light up the way with a bright red fire. He stared back at her for a long moment before slamming her into a large crate, and glaring at her.

"Shut up." He sneered, and waved his hands on top of hers. A string of fire suddenly wrapped itself around her palms, locking them together. She screamed as it burned her skin; Alt-Doof grinned at his success.

He then vanished out of the cave and a Norm-bot took his place. Isabella gasped as she curled up into a corner behind her, noticing that a bright light lit up her surroundings. She found herself hanging just before a pool of lava. Several Norm-bots guarded the cage, each with dark gloomy red eyes. On the wall was a screen; Alt-Doofenshmirtz's face appeared.

"I have to thank you for cooperating with me, dearest. I've waited for so long to get my plan into action." He chortled, rubbing his hands together. Isabella whimpered as she crouched in fear, trying hard to ignore the pain that shot through her arms. Anger burned within her throat. "I know for a fact that the boy surly will fall for this."

Isabella shook her head and let out a cry, getting up with a trip in her step. One of the Norm-bots became aware of her movements, smashing its arm against her skin. She faltered under the intensity of the hit, and fell to the ground; Alt-Doof's laugh rang dully throughout the room.

"Ooh, yeah I forgot to tell you one little thing." He sneered, and points to her. "_Never. _Resist me. My new Norm-bots have a sensitivity level higher than I originally planned them to." Alt-Doof turned around as something beeped behind him, and he grinned at the shaken girl. "Well, it's muffin time now… I better go. Have fun waiting for your hero that'll soon come." He chuckled and stalked off, leaving his robots to do the work for him.

Isabella sighed as she felt the blood pour down from her tear-stricken face, her heart no longer on her sleeve. _Oh Phineas… you knew this was going to happen… and you didn't tell ME… _


	12. Chapter 12

**This chapter has to be my favorite one out of the entire fanfic. It was just so fun to write. :3 The credit goes to _Vyntresser_ however, for allowing me to borrow her idea from her book _Wrecking Limits_. If you haven't read it yet, I really suggest it. Kudos ish for you xD **

**Thanks again for the continued support and let me know if you have any suggestions! x **

**Disclaimer: I seriously don't own anything. Just my oc's. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter twelve: Comfort from the future

Ferb watched the scene with a grimace as his friends tried to take in the disturbing news.

"Isabella has been _what_?"  
"Oh no, what are we going to do!"

"The alternate Doof is behind this, I just know it!"

"Where are Perry and Phyllis?"

"I can't believe we let him get away!"

"Let's call the Professor! She'll know what's up!"

"Or even Meap! The last time we saw him was—"

"Everybody, _**SHUT UP**_!"

They all turned to the young inventor, who in his fury smashed the stimulator that was built a few hours before. It crackled and hissed under the burning fire, falling apart within seconds. His group of friends gaped at the strength of his power.

"… just… shut up…"

He sighed as he collapsed onto the ground, putting his head in his hands. Memories of the date he and Isabella shared came back to him, swarming around in his head. There was something he wanted to bring up, besides reconciling his feelings with Isabella. He… he couldn't bring himself to it.

Phineas shuddered as he felt a cold wind blow past his shoulders, and looked up at the small group of friends that gathered around him. Buford, Baljeet, Django, and Irving shared the same look of contempt while their significant other stood close. The Fireside girls' eyes were red from crying over their lost leader. His family stood in the midst of it all, waiting for what he has to say now.

"You know guys," He spoke, getting up on his feet. "I'm an idiot." He shook his head as he closed his eyes, the dark circles underneath them suddenly even darker than before.

"No, Phin believe me you're not. We had no control over this." Candace spoke up, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Phineas shrugged her off.

"I am because I had a feeling something like this could happen all along! Even before my stupid powers! If I had just told her… if I… had… d-_dang it_!" He shouted in fury, letting out another string of fire.

Everyone backed away in fear as the blue fire grew closer towards them. By now the stimulator was completely diminished, only a giant smoke left in its wake. Linda was the first to notice her son lying on the ground, defeated by his own game. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him; she didn't let go when he tried to push her away.

The young inventor refused to look at anybody in the face. Nobody moved for a few moments as silence filled the air once again. Shouts and screams from the town were soon heard, but the family didn't take notice of it. A bright green light destroyed so many buildings, and so many people were hurt in its path, but they wouldn't take their eyes off of Phineas. They had no idea what to say to him now.

"I think it's time we call it a night. Let's take him upstairs, Linda. The OWCA will be here in a few moments," Lawrence sighs, walking over to the boy. He turned to his group of friends. "You kids can go back to your families now as well. I'm sure they're terribly worried about you."

"No way," Django glared, shaking his head. "We're not leaving until this is settled. No one kidnaps Isabella on our watch." The small group of friends nodded in agreement as the father let out a defeated sigh, and helped carry Phineas back into the house. Candace didn't say anything then as she just stared at the broken down stimulator, unwanted tears streaming down her face. Vanessa walked over to her.

"What are we going to do, Vanessa? I-I'm serious, what?"

Vanessa didn't say anything as she just stood there quietly, baring an apprehensive look on her face. Ferb glared at the tree. The booming noises grew louder and louder for the next few moments and the ground suddenly shook, causing the gang to topple over. Then, just like that, everything went silent again. Vanessa held back her tears as she choked on her words. "I… have no idea how to answer that." She muttered.

"Truthfully, it isn't all that impossible." A voice said with excitement, and the group lifted up their heads in shock as they saw the sight before them. There, in a golden car-like machine, was a young boy that literally looked exactly like Phineas. He had the triangle head, the black eyes, but had black hair and decked out in a dark green t- shirt. Around his neck was a familiar set of keys. He passed them a shy grin. "'Cause my dad can do anything."

00000000000000

The young professor was going stay up later when the booming started. She had herself knee deep in Alt-Doof's ship, tinkering over anything she had missed. She just needed something to do, something to take her mind off of the world around her.

Andrew moseyed down the hallways on his scooter around that time as well, not far from where she was. He wanted to pull a new prank on him and see how he would react this time. He chuckled at the thought, loving the memory of his little brother's upset face. He picked up sped on his scooter until he saw a fellow scientist running towards him. Andrew squinted to see curiously.

"Hey dude, what crawled up your butt and died? Calm down!" He consoled, only to be given an angry look in return.

"Don't give me that, _Wilde_. He's attacked again! He's… he's coming our way! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

Andrew frowned as the man ran off down the end of the hallway, screaming bloody murder. His next motive was to go straight down to his mother and beg her to hire scientist with an actual degree, but the thought was flown out the window when a loud _CRASH _was heard a little too close to the building. Ten seconds later, the scientist poured out into the hallway in a frenzy.

He shook his head as he tried to calm them down. He held his hands up. "Guys, chill! Everything's gonna be alright. Just find the nearest escape shuttle and get the heck out of here!"

Few obeyed, while some still ran around chasing their tails. Andrew grumbled incoherent words to himself while he turned around on his scooter, and made his way to the secret lair.

"Andrew!" somebody called out to him. He didn't have to take a look back to know it was his brother.

"Come with me, Ace. We have to get to mom."

"Is she still working on that spaceship?" Ace asked warily, wrapping his arms around his brother.

"I have my suspicions." He replied, and leaned forward to go even faster. Sure enough, there was his mother in her work coat. Frowning in confusion, she glanced up at the familiar sound that filled the room. She was about to ask what the matter was, when another bomb hit the building, this time in the wing a few doors away from them. Professor Wilde gasped and leaned against the spaceship, her eyes wide with fear.

She didn't say anything to the boys for a few short seconds. Then, taking a deep breath, she pointed a sharp finger to the ship. "Get in the damn thing."

Ace and Andrew grinned at each other and nodded, eager to help save the world for the first time.

00000000000000

"Your… your _dad?"_ Ferb gaped, speaking out for everyone in that moment. The boy simply nodded and walked out of the car, tripping over himself a little. He smiled at the family in awe.

"In the future, time travel was deemed possible thanks to you guys. So when my dad asked me to visit this time period, to help out, it was a total piece of cake." He then scratched his forehead thoughtfully. "That is if I don't give away any info about the future that could cause a paradox and lead us all to certain death." He shivered at the thought.

Ferb's head was whirring by just seeing the boy in front of him; minus the little warning he was just given. Candace raised her hand, making the boy turn his head.

"Alright listen kid, if you really are Phineas' son then explain to me the full meaning of carpe diem." She pressed, her hands finding their way to their hips. Vanessa let out a snort by her comment.

"Candace, that's the stupidest—"

"Carpe diem. Latin for size the day. My dad and his brother accomplished that every summer of their lives, building a roller coaster, finding a dodo bird, or giving a monkey a shower any chance they got. Me and my siblings strive to do just that and make every day a great day!" He cheered, pumping his fists in the air. Candace's mouth dropped to the floor for a few moments before the realization coming over her. She grinned.

"You're definitely my brother's son."

"Huh, siblings? How many kids did Isabella and Phineas have?" Vanessa inquired, looking at the boy oddly. He slapped his head in annoyance.

"Gosh darn it! That just slipped out. I Can't. Tell. You. Guys. Anything." He spoke slowly, putting his hands up in emphasis. She and Ferb shared a look. "But, I will tell you the reason I'm here. Listen, my dad was upset because he didn't have the help and comfort to motivate him when finding my mom. So, my job is to give him some advice."

"Alright, we got it. Can we at least get your name though?" Candace rolled her eyes, finding so much of Phineas in this kid it was starting to creep her out. Still though, she already felt a wave of protectiveness wash over her.

He nodded finally and took a bow, his dark curls falling into his eyes. "My name is Marcos, and I am your nephew from the future."


	13. Chapter 13

**It was really interesting trying to figure out how to portray Candace's character as the story progressed. She picks up such a motherly insight towards her brothers, and it only encouraged me to work on her part even more. Yeah, she still has her quirks, but one still has to wonder, right? I have a feeling you guys will enjoy this chapter, for those of you who were feeling bad over Phineas. C: Oh and again, the idea itself belongs to _Vyntresser_. I'm just tweaking it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Phineas and Ferb. Just Professor Wilde, Andrew, Ace, and Marcos. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter thirteen: Two birds and one stone

Alt-Phineas grinned at his work. The rollercoaster was a complete success, and everyone had a great time on it. He was even surprised that his crush Alt-Vanessa, who became a valuable member to the resistance when she found out what her dad was up to, decided to join in the fun. Everybody knew that he fell hard for the girl ever since they met. Well, everybody except her.

He shook his head and blushed when she caught his eye, passing him a sweet smile.

"That was amazing, Phineas. What are we going to do tomorrow?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, causing Alt-Ferb to chuckle and Alt-Isabella to scoff good naturedly. "Dunno; I guess whatever big idea pops into my head. Um, you'll be here right?"

Alt-Vanessa raised a brow. "Well duh. I wouldn't miss anything you guys do! Now that things have calmed down a little, it's nice having some free time."

Alt-Phineas grinned at his score. "Great! See you then, I guess." The Goth paid her farewells as she walked away, her hips swaying back and forth. Alt-Phineas couldn't help but gaze at her beautiful body, his mouth hanging open with a loud _pop._ Alt-Buford pointed a finger towards him.

"Ah. Should we do something about that?"

Alt-Isabella giggled and put an arm around his shoulder. "Leave him; he'll come around eventually."

"But we have to stop by the Resistance Building this afternoon." Baljeet interjected, although he found this amusing as well. "We can't have our member's mouth gaping like a fish in front of our leader."

"Yeah… good point." Alt-Isabella shrugged, and walked right in front of her friend. She tilted her head with a smirk on her face before striking him, causing the boy to fall flat on his back. He snapped out of it to glare at her.

"Hey, what was that for?!"

"Saving your dignity." She giggled, folding her arms. Her eyes twinkled under the morning sun. "You know you really should go tell her."

Alt-Phineas shook his head vehemently. "I-I can't! It'll ruin our entire friendship. And besides, she's Candace's age. Why would she bother to waste her time on a little kid like me?"

"Love has no boundaries brother," Alt-Ferb consoled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "If she's ready, she'll meet you halfway." Alt-Isabella stared at her boyfriend in adoration before nodding, and turned her attention to Alt-Phineas. He merely shook his head as the gears turned in his mind; he couldn't worry over that now.

"Hey look, there's Perry-borg." Alt-Baljeet said suddenly, waving to a small figure down the block. "He must be coming back from the agency."

The platypus didn't wave back at the doctor and headed straight for his owners, bearing a solemn look on his face. He had just gotten the news about the other dimension. It was bad. So, _so _bad.

Alt-Phineas' smile faltered. "Hey… what's wrong boy?" As if he needed to ask.

Alt-Ferb couldn't ignore the wicked fear in his pet's eyes, and caught the terrifying message. He glanced over at his group of friends with a grim smile.

"I think we may have to visit our friends again, everyone."

0000000000000

Vanessa let out a happy squeal and hugged the time traveler, spinning him in the air. "Wait! Since you exist, that means we found a way to defeat the evil Doof!"

"Uh, heh. Yes! Can you put me down?"

Ferb chuckled at the expression on Marcos' face. "And that also means we find Isabella."

"Precisely! Now, er-"

"And that means that Phineas finally _will _forgive himself, and _will_ begin solid relationship with Isabella in High School, and the two _will_ get married!" Candace blurts out, her eyes twinkling. Vanessa set her nephew back on his two feet.

"Auntie Candace I should go and-"

"I wonder how we're going to save her! This is so weird, I can't even think straight." Vanessa giggled, very out of character for her. "Oh this is so exciting!"

"GUYS!" Marcos whined, throwing his hands up in the air. He shot them all an exasperated smile. "Will you just _please _let me talk?" The small group nodded as silent chatter began in the house, but they paid it no mind. Ferb grinned at him and nodded.

"I can't really believe this is happening either. I hope to god the Time Car can get me back safely and I won't have to stop for gas…" he trailed off, and was interrupted again by Candace.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Pleeeeaaaase tell me about the future. Am I still cursed with wearing the same clothes all the freaking time?"

Vanessa nodded eagerly. "Yeah; Has Johnny finally given up on me?" Ferb tilted his head with a confused smile.

Marcos scratched his head at the girls, looking at his uncle for a silent answer. "Ha… sorry. Like I said before, I can't tell you anything. Nothing about my siblings, and nothing about your lives. I'm not here for that." He grinned sheepishly. "And besides, you yourself told me not to speak of anything."

Candace gaped at him, letting out an annoyed squeak. "But- b-but…"

"No buts, Auntie. I knew you would do something like that." Marcos giggled quietly. Vanessa rolled her eyes at them and shook her head in bewilderment.

"This day can't get any weirder," she took Marcos' hand in hers. "We have to go tell Phineas! Surely that'll cheer him up, right?"

Marcos sighed with relief and nodded, gesturing his hand towards the door. "_Finally._ Yeah; it'll be difficult to convince him of something I'm not, given how clever he is."

Ferb passed the young boy a knowing smile and patted his shoulder. "I'll go search for him."

Marcos stared after him in silence as he ran back towards the home. He looked at everything in excitement. "This place hasn't changed at all. It's incredible."

Candace frowned for a moment. "What, no cool, science fiction equipment added on? Same old building?"

"Same old building," He repeated with a smile. "I visit grandpa in his antique store sometimes if dad has a long day at work. My little sis has to come along sometimes, (which is a complete drag) but I guess it can't be helped."

Vanessa giggled at the boy's slip, and Marco's slapped his head. "Wait, I thought you said you couldn't give away anything?"

"Guh… sorry." He mumbled and scratched the back of his ear. "I'm literally dying inside right now."

"I'll bet. It's okay Marcos," Candace chided, ruffling up the boys hair affectionately. "Hmm. Can I just ask who were you named after? It sounds so original."

He smiled and nodded. "Uh-huh. My granddaddy passed a few days before I was born, and it hit my mom pretty hard since she lost the only father figure in her life. Hence my name," His lips curled into a small frown. "Just, ah. Don't tell her that. Time paradox and everything."

Vanessa sighed as she and Candace sealed their lips. "Consider it done."

Marcos smiled at them and craned his neck, his eyes flashing with curious wonder. He literally started jumping on his feet. "Oh- oh gosh he looks _just like me_." He grinned, and the two girls turned to see Phineas and Ferb.

Ferb's face was painted neutral, while Phineas just froze in his spot, his eyes widening with absolute surprise. Candace took a couple steps back.

"Erm. Is he like that because he's happy, or really freaked out?" she asked, looking over at Marcos. He shrugged and tilted his head.

"I'd like to think…"

"—Jesus Ferb, you weren't joking. He even has the same hair style too!" Phineas mused, strolling over. His eyes were mixed with confusion and renewed excitement. He breathed through his nostrils as he looked at the boy up and down. "Cool."

Marcos let out a breath of air he was holding in, and took a careful step closer. "Uh, yeah. I guess I should probably explain why I'm here."

"Isabella," Phineas whispered, tears glistening in his eyes. "You're going to help me find my Isabella?" Ferb put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Marcos nodded and took off the keys around his neck. "These would be a great assistance. You told me where I could find them." He looked down. "I- I know that you threw them in that river to stop punishing yourself, but… you had a really hard time in the long run."

Phineas' hands shook with anger as the set of keys found their way into his palms. Father and son stared into each others' eyes. "She's…. she's in the other dimension? That same, horrid place where we had to escape the Goozim?!" His temper peaked as he said the last word.

"Phin, sweetie…" Candace muttered, reaching over to him. The boys eyes widened in fear.

"J-just remember to use the key on the right to open the crate. I don't know how to explain, but it's different this time." He grabbed Phineas' hands. "Dad; I'm serious, calm down! Everything's gonna be okay!"

Phineas shook with anger as he tried to hear his sons' words, but the fire in his heart wouldn't cool. Marcos stood back abruptly, the temperature a little too much for him.

"Phineas, _enough; _you're scaring Marcos." Ferb exclaimed thickly, keeping a straight face. A ball of fire began to burn in Phineas' hands but it soon diminished, as he remembered the crisis at the moment. He sighed and shakily put the keys in his pocket.

"I'm… I-I'm sorry. I can't control myself right now." He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I really didn't mean to scare you, son."

Marcos merely shook his head in defiance, shrugging off the fear. "It's okay. My hand just hurts a little." He said in the same tone, staring at his dad with understanding eyes. Phineas rocked back and forth on his feet, unsure of what to say. He just stared into those deep pools of sapphire, reminiscing the days where everything was normal. Well, normal for his life anyways. "…. How far are you in the future? Ten years? Twenty?"

Marcos managed a small smile. "Eighteen, actually. Mom had me a year after you guys graduated from college."

"I guess that seems about right." Ferb mused, lulling his head. They all stood quiet for a moment until a loud beeping sound came from the car, and Marcos quickly ran over to it. He smirked at the name on the screen.

"_Yeesh, Marcos. You done with the mission yet? Uncle Phineas is freaking out again! Remember the LAST time you got home late?" _A feminine voice complained over the computer, and Marcos cringed. The small group looked at each other with confusion, each wondering just what kind of trouble this kid gets himself into.

"Chill out Jade, I'm almost finished. And yes I remember. Dad etched it into my brain…. Literally." He muttered, and the girl giggled at him.

"_Oh hush, I'm only teasing. Just try to get home before nine. Mom's making nachos tonight!" _She exclaimed, pumping her fists in the air. There was static for a few moments before Marcos spoke again.

"I can see her cooking it in the background." He grinned, a small blush on his cheeks. "Thanks for caring to call though. It means a lot." He added earnestly.

"_Bah, don't get all gushy on me time traveler. It's my duty." _

"A very big duty," Marcos giggled. "Try beating that."

Jade furrowed her eyebrow at him, resembling Ferb so much when she did. Vanessa felt her heart explode for the first time. "_Your face is the only thing I'll be beating when you'll get back here. Oh poop ….I have to skedaddle. The Wonder Twins are messing around with my game console." _She exclaimed hurriedly, and the screen frizzed and cackled. You could only here her fleeting call of, _"Aak! Felicia! Get that out of your mouth, it's not food!"_ before there was static, and the entire device went completely blank.

Marcos laughed to himself as he made his way back to the small group, the burning sensation in his hands completely washed away. He grinned at everybody's expression. "Heh. Yeah, that's my life right now. You two really have it going good." He mused, nodding over to Vanessa and Ferb. The young couple just stared at him with a blank expression while Candace burst out laughing. She didn't know why she did, but she just felt like that moment it was completely necessary.

Phineas shook his head in bewilderment and stared at Marcos, a wide smile on his face. "So anything is possible, huh?" His son nodded and took his hands, seemingly no longer afraid of them.

"I can assure you it's a memory worth saving. On my way here I remembered that your alternates will be able to reach you guys, even Professor Wilde and her kids. So you're not alone on this. Normally a person would tell you _NOT_ to go up and rescue her, since it's a full-fledged trap you're running into, but being I'm your son, and you're Phineas Flynn, I have no say. Because I know you have a ton of tricks up your sleeve."

Vanessa snapped out of her trance and blinked a few times, smiling at the young inventor. "Don't worry… I'm sure he does."

Phineas chuckled and shared a knowing smile with his son. "I can't believe you actually time traveled. The last time me and Ferb did was when we went to that museum two summers ago."

"I only learned from the best." Marcos winked, his cheeks flushing from embarrassment.

"Glad to be of service," Phineas bowed. "So… Jade is my nice huh? The twins?" he asked casually, a small smile on his face.

Marcos rolled his eyes and smiled again at Vanessa, who was blushing a bright red. Ferb tugged at his collar. "I guess I have no choice in hiding it anymore, yeah. They're actually the youngest though. Jade has another sister."

"Somebody should probably write this stuff down…" Candace giggled, earning a slap on the shoulder from Vanessa.

"Then create a fanfiction about it, why don't you!" She hissed, her cheeks blushing even harder at the thought of carrying twins. She always did like the name Felicia. And Jade.

"Can it contain yaoi?" Candace asked hopefully, but that only made Vanessa slap her head in annoyance. Ferb coughed.

"Personally, I would prefer it to just be about Phinabella."

The small group stared at him for a few moments. Then Marcos shook his head to clear his thought as he turned to his dad once again, taking his hands. "Dad… Everything's gonna be fine. Mom and Uncle Ferb both thought it was a nice thing to send me here, since you were so upset of the idea of never seeing her again. Think of it as a little reminder, for when you… aaaaa, you know."

"I know, Marcos." Phineas answered shakily. "M-my mind is spinning right like crazy right now. So much has happened these past few hours. It's only getting me pumped up. Like, I feel I'm about to burst with energy."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Marcos nodded, smiling. He then frowned as the watch on his wrist suddenly began to beep, something that Phineas just noticed at that second. "… gosh. Look at the time."

"You really have to leave?" Vanessa whispered solemnly, not wanting to believe him. She grew to love the kid in those few short minutes. Her future nephew.

"I can't stay in this frame for too long. It's a shaky risk." He nodded to her, unable to move from his spot. Phineas gave him a bittersweet smile.

"I understand. Heh; I know you'll make it back okay. You're a smart kid, Marcos." He chimed, and the boy blushed again. Marcos rolled his eyes as he chuckled low under his breath.

"Uncle Baljeet made sure of that. Thank him."

Phineas beamed as he risked a glance back at the house, where his mother and father sat across from each other in the kitchen table. Their friends were seated in front of the living room television. The green light on his watch beeped again, this time much more rapidly. He looked up at his past family as he tried to hide his tears.

Candace smiled lovingly at the boy. "Aw, hun don't you cry over this." She muttered, pulling the boy into a hug along with Phineas, Ferb, and Vanessa. She then grabbed his shoulders firmly. "You did an extraordinary thing tonight. You realize that?"

"Uh-huh." He sniffed, smiling a little. "I'm just gonna miss you guys."

"Even though the future is a subject to change," Ferb stated, causing everybody to look at him. "I know we'll see each other again. Trust me on that."

"Sure thing Uncle Ferb." Marcos giggled. The two shared a fist bump. He shared one final glance at Phineas before he walked over to the car, and sat in the drivers' seat. He closed the door shut. He sighed and scratched his chin, as if he was trying to remember something.

"Oh! Yeah. Dad, guys. Everything I just told you, about the future, don't breathe a word of this to Isabella or the rest of the family. Given how she came up with Phineas-land in the past, who knows what she'll do if she finds out about this."

"What if we start to go stir-crazy?" Candace muttered, and Marcos started the engine of the vehicle. Phineas felt his heart rate pick up speed. "I know I have mental issues of some kind at least."

"No you don't Auntie Candace, stop thinking so poorly." He assured her with a smile. "Like I said these things are very uncertain. If you live your life to the fullest, and have _carpe diem_ written on your sleeve, -erm… hypothetically speaking- whatever you strive to in life it'll come to you. Just believe in yourself."

Phineas and Ferb beamed with pride at the boy's message, glad they never stopped singing that song even then. Vanessa was the first to break the silence that washed over the group. "…I guess what you're telling us is that we'll have to forget about ya, huh?"

Marcos nodded. "Only for a little while. Then I'll show my face soon enough." He added with a chuckle, and Phineas blushed for the first time in what felt like a long time. The beeping suddenly became more urgent, and Marcos groaned in annoyance.

"Looks like your family misses you. You better go, for Phineas' sake." Candace laughed, leaning against the car. She smiled at him lovingly. He rolled his eyes and smiled at his aunt.

"I curse the day it was ever installed…" He breathed out a chuckle. "When dad taught me how to use this thing, he practically rigged it with protection devices. I mean, what's the fun in that?" He asked nonchalantly.

Ferb shook his head. "Sounds like something my brother would do. At least it's good to know he looks out for you, Marcos." The lad rolled his eyes again and stared at Phineas, who was passing him a stern, and yet childish look. Just to let him know he meant no harm. He finally laughed.

"I guess I never thought of it that way… I-I love you dad."

Phineas felt his heart swell with a new feeling of love, something that his wildest dreams never thought he would hope for. The future suddenly seemed like a wonderful place, now. How can he ever miss out on something as beautiful as that? He sighed as his breath caught his heart for a few moments. He inhaled before he spoke, his voice coming out just below a sure, shaky whisper.

"I love you to, Marcos. Tell the gang my thanks. You deserve the recognition."

"Yeah, I totally will." Marcos grinned and closed his eyes, his fingertips finding their way onto the steering wheel. The beeping sound dulled into an annoying buzz, and the boy took in a few deep breaths. "I don't want to say anything terribly cliché, but... good luck and god speed."

He said and was about to pull down the leaver next to where he sat. Phineas gasped as the car whirred to life, the wheels beginning to spin. He tripped over his feet as he grabbed onto Marcos' hand.

"Wait, wait, wait!" He panted, and the boy stared at him dubiously. The car slowed down to a stop, but the engine was still on. "Aren't you a little young to be driving a Time Car?"

Marcos laughed. "Yes. Yes I am." He grinned as Phineas took a few steps back. "See you in the future." He saluted him and turned his attention to the front of the road, and pulled the leaver. The car drove backwards a few feet before it sped off leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The door connected to the fence creaked back and forth as if somebody walked into the garden, but they didn't appear.

Phineas felt his throat tighten as the car and his son vanished into the night. He felt someone put an arm on his shoulder and he glanced up to see Ferb, who bore a small smile on his face.

"What now, Phineas?"

He grinned as he looked back at the house, the set of keys held tightly in his palm. In one hand, a small flame willingly morphed into a powerful sword. He turned to Ferb with a confident smile. "I'm ready to kick Doof's butt."


	14. Chapter 14

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter fourteen: Man in the mirror

Delilah grinned as she watched their robots take over Danville again. She truly missed Alt-Doof's reign, and she knew that this time around would really make an impact on society.

The second time she couldn't understand how it wouldn't work, Doof wouldn't spare her any details. All she knew was that he wanted that Phineas boy dead—or turned into a cy-borg the very least. She then sighed and turned her attention back to the screen. She had an army to lead. She couldn't be worrying about that.

Taking a deep breath, she put some commands into the speaker phone in front of her, ordering the main probe to attack first. Perfect. She grinned at her success and fired another command, loving the sound when a building crashed. _This is going to be so easy. _She thought, and just for the fun of it decided to see if the girl was caught yet. She nodded silently at Isabella, who was cornered up by a Norm-bot. Her arms were bended roughly by a string of fire.

Delilah stared at the tortured girl for a few moments before shutting the screen off, and turning her attention back to the Tokyo Tower crumbling to its doom.

000000000000

Hienz was just getting ready for bed when he heard the call, and rushed over to the Flynn-Fletcher house. His alternate took over? Who was he working with this time? Or is it just him?

His tiredness completely vanished as he saw the scarred look on the children's faces. Phineas however, showed an opposite expression He looked ready to fight. Major Monogram put his hands behind his back and regarded him with a nod. Perry and Phyllis, who were standing next to the leader, also smiled. Well, Phyllis decided to hide her face at the sight of him. She still wasn't used to seeing the doctor in a different light. "I'm sorry we called you at such a late hour, but you know more about your alternate than we do."

"Well… again, I had no idea I put that extra boost of evil in my Amnesia - inator. So my mind is a little fuzzy. But I'm honored that you let me help you." He admitted humbly, scratching the back of his neck.

Carl nodded over to the young inventor. "You should thank Phineas for that. It wasn't us."

He smiled at the boy who supported him, and turned his attention back to Major. "So what have you come up with so far?"

"Our recourses say that they haven't seen Alt-Doof at all throughout the bombing, but they have a hunch that there's someone else behind it. Also, regarding Isabella, they think she might be somewhere in the Second Dimension." Major replied, folding his arms.

"You're saying that wherever she may be, he's going to be?" Heinz reasoned. He put his hand on his chin.

"Correct. _Where_ though, is the question?"

Linda folded her arms in defiance, pulling Phineas close to her. He morphed his sword quickly back into a ball of flame. "My son isn't going after him—it's a trap he's running into! Once he gets Isabella out of there I know that… that _**fiend **_won't be so far behind! Send someone else." She demanded strictly.

"Mom…" Phineas grumbled, sharing a knowing look with Ferb.

Major shook his head at her suggestion. "Sorry, ma'am, but nobody bothered to fill in. And since Phineas is the only one Alt-Doof wants, he goes."

"I'm tired of living in fear anyways." He announced, breaking away from his mother's grip. "You can't treat me like a little kid anymore. And I knew you were miffed by me and Isabella's relationship. Why couldn't you just say so in the first place?" When she wouldn't answer him, he shook his head. "Just forget it. I'm ready whenever you are, sir."

"We're just waiting on the alternates and Professor Wilde. Heinz, you'll be accompanying Phineas in the end. So he has at least some back up."

The doctor nodded and glanced over at Phineas, who eagerly moved back and forth on his feet. The fire in the palm of his hand suddenly became bigger than before.

Ferb put his arm on his shoulder and the fire calmed, causing Phineas to sheepishly smile at his brother. A moment of silence washed over them as they waited for the two groups; they really had nothing else to talk about. Suddenly the floor shook, and everyone turned their attention to the door. It seemed like something was coming their way.

Milly cried out as the spaceship crashed into the house, falling into Django's lap. Ferb pushed Phineas out of the way as they tried to make room for the giant machine.

"Hey wait a minute…" He muttered, remembering the mission he and his friends went on not too long ago. The rumbles deceased in an instant. A few seconds passed and the professor stepped out –stumbling a little- and grinned at the family. "Professor Wilde! You made it!"

"I came as soon as I heard. Andrew, Ace! Get out here!" She hissed in excitement, peering back into the spaceship. The two boys hurried out next to her. Ace tripped on his shoelace and he practically did a 360, falling on top of Gretchen. The girl blushed as she tried to pry him off, but their shoelaces got stuck together.

"Guh, stupid aglets…" He muttered, hiding his face from her.

"Stupid _what_?" She asked him, looking at the boy with curious awe. He blushed as he fell onto his back.

"I-it's the end of a shoelace. Can somebody help me?" He wails, looking over at his brother for assistance. Andrew just simply shook his head.

Major Monogram sighed and turned his attention to Phineas, who was watching the scene with a satisfied grin. He chuckled.

"Alright people. All we have to do is wait for the alternates." He said, flexing his hands. The group nodded in agreement. Professor Wilde smiled sheepishly at Mrs. Flynn, scratching the back of her neck. She let out a small giggle that warmed the doctor's aching heart.

"Don't worry Mrs. Flynn. I'll fix that after this mess is over." Linda waved her off with a smile.

"Forget about it, hun. Accidents happen."

Andrew stared at her and frowned apologetically. "You're… taking this remarkably well."

Ace rolled his eyes at his brother as his fingers wormed their way through the tied shoelace, and pumped his fist when the two separated. Gretchen frowned a little once he sat up, for she enjoyed those few short seconds where she was tied to him. Buford shook his head at all the sap in the room, and Addison punched him on the shoulder.

Suddenly, a beeping sound came from the watch on Phineas' wrist. He gasped as all eyes once turned to him, and his hands began to shake.

"Phineas? …Phineas, everything okay?" Candace coaxed, walking over to him. He didn't look up at her and stared at the name on the screen, clicking it. The small group took a few steps back as their mouths dropped to the floor. "….Oh man…"

Isabella was hunched over, her eye bleeding rapidly. Her hands were banded together by a scorching red fire, and her face was transfixed in pain. She let out a scream as Alt-Doof laughed at her; he enjoyed seeing her like this. He then caught the bright light coming from the watch.

"Ah… so does that thing in your hand record my voice, dear?" He smirked when she whimpered a reply, and he cleared his throat. "Well then. Whosever listening to this, just know I'm having a grand time with wittle Isabella. I'm… so content, watching her suffering for the boy I want to kill. It's like my heart is melting and a warm blanket is wrapping around it. But… I still want you to come. Muffin time's over now." He cackled as he walked off, and Isabella shakily raised her hand to see the screen clearly.

"Ph-phineas…. Please don't save me. Whatever you do, j-just… d-d-don't…" her voice was cut off by static, and the holographic screen shut off abruptly. Said boy stood staring where the device shut off, not making a sound. He just froze. Everyone else however, fidgeted or glanced at each other in worry. What was wrong with him? Why won't he say anything?

A bright portal appeared in the room then, and Alt-Candace stepped out. She smiled sadly at the family. "Ready to go?"

Phineas already jumped into the portal before she even spoke, pushing anyone he could out of his way. Linda shared a grim look with her husband before shaking her head, and walked upstairs to her room. One by one, the group dispersed, the only reminder of evidence was the huge gaping hole where the door used to be.


	15. Chapter 15

**I couldn't leave you guys in suspense like that... it'd be evil. So here. **

**Enjoy. :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just Phyllis, Professor Wilde, Andrew, Ace, and Marcos. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter fifteen: Into the face of fire

Candace took a glance at the familiar, cave walls that surrounded her. The mine cars clanged against the rickety bridge blindly. She frowned as memories filled her thoughts then, and tried to focus on what was going to happen.

Phineas, Ferb, Django, Buford were in the first mine car with their alternates while everybody else found a seat crowded in the back. Heinz shifted in his seat as he peered over the ledge.

"You know I'm really having a weird, flashback moment right now. Does anyone else share the same feelings as me?" He asked, and Candace snorted beside him.

"Just leave out the crazed robots attacking us."

Alt-Isabella nodded over to her chief. "So Candace, it's just going to be the same as last time right? We'll let Phineas and Heinz goes off on their own?"

Alt-Candace made a noise of agreement. "Yeah; the rest of us will scout the area for any other hiding place. I don't know for certain if your alternate is there or not, but…"

"—she's there." Phineas cut her off, and all eyes gazed onto him. "My heart doesn't lie." He sighed as he turned his attention back to the road ahead, the fire in his palm still burning.

The leader wouldn't say anything more after that. The other half of the group stayed in the agency, watching the scene with transfixed anticipation. Andrew folded his arms as he shared a glance with his mother, who was twitching nervously. He scooted over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Ace smiled at the pair and let out a sigh of content, trying his best to swallow the growing scream about to escape his throat.

Phineas gasped and he pointed ahead, finding the road they were going on much more familiar. "This is it. Heinz, we gotta move."

Ferb, Buford, Django and their alternates moved out of the way so the doctor can get through. He smiled gratefully at the kids as they passed by, and took his respective place next to Phineas. He stared at the fire burning in his hand.

"Just letting you know; that whole fire trick is pretty cool." He praised, and Phineas smirked at him.

"Thanks."

Alt-Candace frowned as she took out her weapon, and smashed it into the slot that connected the two mine cars. She caught Phineas' gaze for a few seconds before he looked away, and fully put his trust into the man standing by him. "See you around, little bro…" Candace whispered, as the car made its way down the road, and disappeared around the bend.

Phineas and Heinz fell into a comfortable silence as the wind gushed past them. The car thankfully slowed to a stop at the end of the tunnel, in front of an automatic door. However once the duo tried to get into the room, it wouldn't open. The doctor scratched his invisible chin as he tried to think of how to figure this out.

"I don't get this. It worked before when I was captured." Phineas complained, feeling the walls for any sensitive alarms. Heinz suddenly remembered a device Perry gave him, and held out a small, hand-held device. **(A/N:** Think of the machine Perry used in _Meapless in Seattle,_ when he had to save Doof)

"Step aside, boy." He grinned. "Watch and learn."

Phineas quirked an eyebrow and folded his arms, watching silently as the doctor placed the device onto the door. A few seconds passed and a beeping sound could be heard, causing the wall around it to completely melt. He gaped at the outstanding technology. "Wh-what? How!"

Heinz shrugged, putting the device back into his pocket. "Your platypus gave it to me after that voting incident. I was told only to use it at a time like this." He then motioned to the newly-formed hole. "Well, why are you still standing around there for? Go save your girl."

Phineas grinned as the fire in his hands became brighter again, and climbed through. He tried to hide the gasp at the sight of his love interest, but the pain was too much to bear. Heinz quickly came through and clasped his hands onto his mouth. He glared at the boy as he glanced around for his alternate.

"One peep and we're caught, got that?" He sneered, and Phineas gulped. He anxiously stared at the crate that was hanging from the ceiling, and felt the keys in his pocket.

"…how am I gonna get up there?"

As if on cue, one of the Norm-bots made a loud, screeching noise, and Alt-Doof's voice lazily asked what was going on. Heinz frantically pushed Phineas away from him.

"You figure it out! I'll distract him!" He shouted, and Phineas opened his mouth to object, but the Norm-bot in front of the boy had other ideas.

000000000000

Delilah glared at the screen in front of her as she saw the inventor make his way towards the crate, knowing that there was nothing she could do. She noticed his alternate also try to get up to her leader, which made her even angrier. She frantically programmed more robots to outnumber him, but she knew he would win by default. There was no stopping.

"So this is where you've been hiding, huh?" A voice broke the silence, and Delilah gasped as she vaguely remembered the figure standing before her.

"_Wilde_…" she seethed.

"Your alternate gave me the directions to this place. Took me a while to track down, but I managed." The professor shrugged. She pointed a sharp weapon at her. "It's time I use this on you."

"What's your problem? Why does it have to be you to mess with my business?" Delilah whispered, standing up from her chair.

Professor Wilde shook her head. "Your business hurts my family. It won't anymore, though. I mean… considering you won't remember any of it." She grinned, and, pressed the button on the amnesia-inator she held in her hand. "Now have a good day."

0000000000000

Phineas grunted as he kicked the robot away, and hopped onto the head of another one. He couldn't help himself when he called out Isabella's name, but she didn't look up at him. He nearly tripped when he got a surprise attack from a Norm-bot that snuck up behind him, but he caught his fall.

"Isabella… I'll get you out of there." He said through gritted teeth, and let his flame morph into a sword. He quickly searched around for the old man, but when he didn't see him; he figured that he was with his alternate by now. "Hang on."

"_N-no. You don't love me. You've never loved me…" _He blinked as he listened closely to her, frightened by her words. Was she having a nightmare? Wh-what was going on? "_I shouldn't have wasted my time… why do I even… bother…" _

"Isabella!" Phineas exclaimed and tumbled onto the platform, ignoring the robots that kept on coming at them. He took a deep breath as he finally had a firm grasp on the crate, and looked around for something to put the key in. Isabella's mumbles became louder then; it was beginning to get harder to ignore as the guilt worked its way through Phineas' heart. A small side of him rationalized that she was having a nightmare, which her subconscious was thinking of the worst-case-scenario.

…_.come on, where is it? _

_Wait….. _

_THERE! _

He suddenly understood what Marcos meant that this was different. Instead of a manual key, there was an actual slot to fit the key in, because this cage was designed differently. He grinned in success and fiddled with the keys to fit into the hole, but the Norm-bots like always, wanted to make things hard for him. They fired aimlessly around him and the cage; the impacts became so great that the vibration made Phineas drop the trusty pair of keys, causing them to fall into the lava below.

"Shoot." He mumbled to himself, and risked a glance at Isabella. He sighed and from the corner of his eye saw a Norm-bot about to make impact. He thought fast, hopping onto the small ground that was available to him, morphing the fire in his hands into a sword. The two collided within seconds, and the door of the cage, to Phineas' glee, opened up.

He shakily stood on his feet and walked over to her, gently tapping her shoulder. "Isabella...? Isabella my love, I'm here."

A gorgeous pair of sapphire eyes blinked at him, allowing a few tears to shed. "Phineas. Y-you came to save me."

He grinned and nodded, extending his hand. "Yup. We have to stop Alt-Doof now. You ready?" She didn't say anything as she took his hand into hers, the simple touch sending fireworks through her body.

"I-I'm ready."

The pair inched their way towards the giant ledge where the evil scientist currently stationed himself. Their Doof was nowhere to be seen, but for Phineas, that was the last thing on his mind. He had to finish this. Nodding over to Isabella, he began to climb. She followed closely, ignoring the pain her right eye was currently in. Love made it numb for her.

"Hmm. I honestly thought you wouldn't get here so soon." Alt-Doof turned around, smirking at the young couple. Isabella clutched onto Phineas' shoulder. "And you saved the girl too."

Phineas glared, letting the fire in his palms come back to him. "Enough talk." He took a brave step closer. "I'm done with you."

Alt-Doof chuckled and he too, made fire appear in his palms. "Well good. At least we finally agree on something. I thought I already told you though: Play with fire, you're going to get burned. And when you burn, it leaves a memory."

"Yeah. But at least I can move on from mine." Phineas whispered, and he turned to Isabella. "Get behind me." She obeyed, putting her hands to her mouth. He raised his weapon and ran at Alt-Doof with a battle cry; everything moved in slow motion. He saw his entire life flash before his eyes in those few moments. The battle's atmosphere has been so different than any other he's seen.

"_If you live your life to the fullest, and have carpe diem written on your sleeve, -erm… hypothetically speaking- whatever you strive to in life it'll come to you. Just believe in yourself."_

_0ooo0 _

"_Even though the future is a subject to change, I know we'll see each other again…" _

He finally opened his eyes again as Alt-Doof missed him, and slashed his shoulder with his fire sword. However, he wasn't the only one who wanted a piece of the evil doctor. Phineas gasped in surprise when he saw a silhouette of Heinz, pulling out a sharp knife from Alt-Doof's back. He sidestepped the two in one swift motion, and watched helplessly as he fell to the ground, dead.


	16. Chapter 16

**Guh. De fluff... so much fluff... x3 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just Professor Wilde, Phyllis, Andrew, and Ace. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter sixteen: When in love

"We… we did it."

Phineas gasped, as he took notice of Alt-Doof lying on the floor.

"We DID IT! Isabella did you—_mmmph_!" A soft pair of lips crashed onto his, catching the oblivious inventor off guard. His entire world froze as he just savored this moment with his love, wondering how he got so lucky. This has been the best day anyone could even wish for. Heinz scratched his ear and turned his head to give the couple some privacy, although a smirk was written on his face.

"W-whoa," He chuckled as they broke apart. Isabella smiled at him through glassy eyes. "I could get used to that."

"You'd better." Isabella threatened playfully, wiping away a tear. She giggled and through her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. "Oh my gosh Phineas, I-I was so scared. I thought that… I mean…"

Phineas sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair, calming his nerves as well. "Shh. Everything's okay now. I'm here." The two lingered in that position for a few moments more, and didn't separate when they heard the hooting calls of their family and friends. Ferb was the one who climbed over the ledge first and greeted his brother.

"Phineas!" He chimed gleefully, giving him a wide smile.

"W-we did it, Ferb!" Phineas laughed as he threw his arms up in the air. Soon after, the rest of the family and friends came over to congratulate the pair. Professor Wilde then walked towards Heinz and stuffed the Amnesia –inator into her pocket.

"You actually… you found her?" He whispered.

She nodded as she inspected the dead body. "Out cold. You did a noble thing there, Doctor D."

The doctor looked away as he blushed, scratching his neck in embarrassment. "Hahah well. You can just call me Heinz."

"…then, you I g-guess can call me Sam." She was hesitant at first, giving out her full name to the doctor, but she completely disregarded that when he pulled her in for a hug instead of taking her hand. Lord knows both of them needed the comfort at that time.

Phineas chuckled as he looked around at his group of friends, lighting up with a mischievous smile. "Anybody else feel the need to get sentimental?" His alternate blushed and glanced up at Alt-Vanessa, who had the oddest look of anticipation and eagerness in her features. Everyone turned to the couple and grinned; silence clung tightly to the air as the minutes ticked by.

Alt-Phineas took a deep breath and raised his hand, to which Alt-Isabella slapped her head. "Well don't just stand there! Kiss her!"

The crowd cheered once their lips finally met, but it all became muffled to Isabella. She closed her eyes and leaned against her love, finally letting her best day ever put to rest.

0000000000000

"Isa… bella…"

_The waves crashed hard against the rocky shore, but the girl felt save in her love's embrace. She sighed in content as a brush of wind blew past her, letting her hair flow with it. The man next to her hugged her even closer. She giggled faintly as he began to play with her toes, for she was very ticklish there. _

"ISAbella."

_She stared up at him with endearing eyes before she heard a voice and turned to see a little boy, running over to them and climbing onto the man's lap. She smiled sweetly at him and ruffled his hair, taking her hands into his. There the family stayed in that loving embrace, basking in the sweet serenade their word regarded them with. _

"Isabella!" Phineas murmured, shaking her lightly. The girl yawned as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, and stared up at him curiously.

"Phineas? Where… where are we?"

"In my alternates' house. He invited us to stay her for the time being while your eye healed. You fell asleep for a good three hours, I guess." He answered her, wrapping his arms around her. "Didn't miss much."

"Everybody went back home?"

Phineas nodded. "Yup. Doctor Baljeet will provide us with the transportation in the morning."

"Oh. Good." Isabella yawned again, smiling. "So I guess that leaves the two of us."

The inventor sighed as tiredness overtook him, but there was one thing on his mind he needed to get out. He knew that if he didn't say it now, it never will be addressed.

"Isabella… back there, when you were in the cage, you mumbled things that wouldn't happen. I feel like a jerk that I didn't regard your feelings until now, but I feel even worse that I _dwelled_ upon them. So let me just cut to the chase here: I'll always love you."

Isabella gasped in delighted shock as she heard this new bit of information. She laid her head against his shoulder. "And do you know that I've forgiven you?"

"Of course," Phineas snapped quickly, holding eye contact. He blushed when he realized that sounded out of character. "Th-thank you…"

"No prob." She murmured and fought a yawn, causing Phineas to laugh a little. He moved aside so he can grab a blanket from the couch, and wrap it around her. He didn't even move as she finally closed her eyes to drift off to sleep; a soft, bittersweet melody escaped his lips. (A/N: This is kind of my own, tweaked version of the _City of love._ Hope you like)

_**I-if I was in… the city of love**_

_**We would share a crêpe sucree at a Parisian café. **_

_**I would buy you flowers, under the Eiffel tower. **_

_**Since never had the courage before. (Oh~) **_

_**I'd love a crème brulee to share at exactly four Pm. **_

_**If I was in the city of love **_

_**If I was in…the city of love… **_

_**With you… **_

He sighed deeply and stretched his arms; every ounce of energy he had left was taken out into that song. He didn't even bother to fight sleep as he rested his head against Isabella, and curled up next to her.

"I love you Phineas." She whispered breathlessly, and wrapped his hand around her, finding that to be the only blanket she truly needed.


	17. Chapter 17

**Only one more chapter till the epilogue... I can't believe it's almost over. I had so much fun riding on this rollercoaster with you guys :') **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just my oc's. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter seventeen: Dreams don't turn to dust

Linda beamed at the mayor. "So, you're really serious about this?"

He nods and chuckled, folding his arms in a comfortable position. "Yes. It's only right to give Phineas recognition, and titling him as the _Hero of Danville_ is the least we can do. I still feel terrible of the way I treated him before…"

Lawrence waved him off. "Nonsense; Phineas forgives everyone and anyone. Given the emotional trauma he's had the past few days, this'll make up for all of that." Still smiling he turned to Heinz. "And of course, you'll be recognized as well."

"No, that's alright. I only did the final blow as an act of defense. Besides—I don't want any crazed fans coming after me." Heinz muttered, causing the adults to laugh a little.

"Phineas is coming back in a few hours with Isabella; we let them sleep in the other dimension." Linda quickly added.

"Fine. I guess we're all in agreement?" Everyone (including the platypuses) nodded eagerly. Roger smiled. "The ceremony will be held first thing tomorrow, since today is the Girls Choice Dance. I'll inform the agency."

She showed him and Heinz to the door. "See you then. Thanks for stopping by and informing us."

"Anytime, Lindana." Roger chuckled, earning a glare from her. Heinz face-palmed. Perry chattered as if to shoo them away, and the men did, despite their apologies and protests. Lawrence smiled at his wife as he pulled her in for a hug.

"See? I told you things will look up."

"Yes," She sighed, leaning her head against his chest. "Yes they did."

000000000000

Phineas yawned as he stretched his limbs; he looked down at the sleeping form of Isabella, and blushed. _I guess we fell asleep together… _He thought, moving his arm out of her hair. She stirred then, and opened her eyes to grin up at him.

"G-good morning, Phineas," She giggled. "How long have you been up for?"

"Not long. I'm sorry I woke you." He said, scratching the small of his neck. "We could go back to sleep…"

"I'm already awake. I'm kinda hungry." Isabella admits as she allowed him to pull her into a sitting position so they could look around the room. It was completely like the Flynn's, except duller in color, and less lively. She sighed and leaned her head towards the kitchen. "Ooh. Somebody's cooking breakfast."

Phineas chuckled and took her hand. "Come on then. Let's see what's going on."

She smiled as the two hopped off the couch, the welcoming smell of eggs and bacon filling their nostrils. Phineas sighed and noticed his alternate, sitting next to Alt-Ferb and Platyborg. Alt-Linda just finished placing the plates on the table when she caught the two. "Well well. Hello there you lovebirds… are you hungry?"

"Yes ma'am!" He cheered and ran over to sit next to Alt-Phineas. Isabella giggled, taking the empty seat next to him. "Heh; this smells really good."

"Aw, thanks Phineas. My son loves eggs and bacon so I figured you would to." She admitted and handed him a plate. He nodded to show his welcome.

Alt-Ferb smiled over at Isabella. "How's your eye?"

"Oh… Its fine, I guess. I haven't really given it much thought." Isabella muttered sheepishly. She poked at her food and Phineas put an arm around her shoulder for comfort. His eyes calmed her worries, and she set them aside for the meanwhile.

"Baljeet will be here in an hour to send you guys back to your dimension—just letting you know." Alt-Linda reminded, and the children agreed before they started to eat again.

Sure enough, once everyone gathered into the living room, the young boy entered the house with a smile. He waved at the family as he held a strange metal box in his hand. "Good morning to all. I am here."

"Hey Baljeet! What's up?" Phineas greeted.

"_Doctor_ Baljeet," The scientist muttered, before blushing and holding up his device. "Oh! Right; this is Doof's Other-Dimension –inator built into a small, portable box. It took me all night making it, and it allows the user to connect with another dimension anytime, anywhere!"

Phineas and his friends clapped as he finished his little speech. "Simply brilliant," Ferb commented, getting a nod from his alternate. Isabella giggled and she took a brave step towards Alt-Baljeet.

"I… guess this is goodbye."

"Yeah. It's been a blast hanging out with you guys this time. Maybe we can hang out when our world isn't in peril?" He added as a joke, and the small group laughed in agreement.

"Of course we will. We could visit our star." Alt-Phineas promised. The two hugged.

"Time's a waiting." Alt-Baljeet chimed, and Isabella glared at him.

"Oh gosh, let them have a moment!"

He winced and he took a few steps away from her. "Yeesh… you're picking up an attitude."

"Care to repeat that?"

"N-no."

Phineas and his alternate laughed at the drama, before finally turning to their friend. He held up his hands in defeat. "Alright buddy, fire it up."

"As you wish."

A bright green light formed into a portal revealing Phineas' backyard. He held his breath at the familiar scenery and smiled, taking Isabella's hand. She blushed at the touch. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes. Yes I am." She sighed, and without looking back at the alternates, stepped through the portal.

…..

"_It's another gorgeous day here in the Tri-State area. Ladies, have you asked a date to the Night of the Falling Stars Girls Choice Dance? It seems Danville has gone star-crazy again waiting for the meteor shower tonight!" _

Phineas gasped as he heard the news play on the radio, completely forgetting that it was around that time of year. He shared a frantic look with Isabella.

"O man, this never crossed my mind. I can't believe it's already a year since that day!"

"Phineas," Isabella soothed. "Relax. Everything's going to turn out fine."

He shook his head as he began to pace in a circle. "How can I? My brain is so crazy right now that—"

"PHINEAS."

He blinked.

"Take deep breaths. Calm down."

He did, and sighed, folding his arms. He smiled sheepishly at Isabella. "Sorry. I really need to work on my temper."

"Hehe; silly Phineas. Don't apologize for anything." She mentally sighed and closed her eyes. "So… I guess since its girls ask boys again, would you _go to the dance with me_?" She thanked her lucky stars that no one was there to interrupt her this time.

He laughed and hugged her, spinning her around. "Are you kidding? Yeah! I'll go with you!" He smiled wider as he caught Ferb staring at them through the window. The green haired boy gasps and starts to run, tripping over Perry's water dish in the process.

"Hey Ferb! I know what else I'm going to do today!" He exclaimer happily, only he was drowned out by Candace's laughter. Isabella giggled at them as she shook her head.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. Just Phyllis, Professor Wilde, Andrew, Ace, and Marcos. **

Book 2- Ashes

Chapter eighteen: I think I wanna marry you

Phineas nervously tugged at his collar as he waited outside for his Isabella. He shifted back and forth on his feet, causing Ferb to slap his head.

"Oh will you just stop it?" He finally asked, and Phineas moaned.

"I-I'm sorry I'm so nervous! What if I mess up?"

Vanessa put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Think of this as any normal time you've spent with her. Just be yourself."

"B-be… myself…" He repeated her words, looking at the door eagerly. Ferb sighed and shared a knowing look with his date.

"He's lost it. _Again._"

"Yes. Yes he has."

Phineas was about to snap at them when the door creaked open, and Vivian showed up at the front step. She beamed at the children. "AH! Phineas, Ferb, Vanessa! Look at how handsome and beautiful you all are! My, I think you've grown a few inches the last time I saw you…"

"Yeah... I-I hate to interrupt, Mrs. Garcia Shapiro, but—"

"Oh where is my daughter? Isabella! Your friends are here!" She called, looking back into her house. A silhouette of her could be seen on the stairs. From what Phineas could see, it looked like she was just as nervous as he was. He let out a sigh of relief; good thing they were on the same boat.

"S-s-si mama," She mumbled, and trudged over. Phineas blushes a deep red when he saw what she was wearing: a dark pink dress with sparkles hung on the bottom, and she ditched her bow for a hair clip instead. Needless to say… he knew what he was in for tonight.

Vivian grinned sheepishly. "Oooh, how cute! Wait here, let me just get my camera."

Isabella's eyes grew wide as she took Phineas by the arm. "Hurry, let's go or we won't make it to the dance!" She screamed, and he nodded, pulling her out to the sidewalk. Ferb and Vanessa laughed as they followed the little couple.

The mother barely caught a glimpse of her daughter when she came back, and managed a smile. She sighed. "I'll get her next year." She promised herself, petting Pinky's back. He barked at her and rolled his eyes. He knew _that_ won't happen in a million years.

Running to the dance calmed Phineas' nerves a little. He grinned and took Isabella's hand. "Wow… y-you look very pretty tonight." _Ugh, why can't I stop stammering?! This is Isabella…! _

She blushed and shrugged modestly. "Hehe. Thanks Phineas."

"Look who decided to show up." A voice called out to him, and the four turned to smile at Buford. He had Addison wrapped around his arm. He mustered up the courage to ask her in a few words as possible, while still trying to keep his dignity. "You. Me. Dance. Tonight." That would've gone smoothly if Baljeet hadn't decided to video record it… he shuddered slightly at the memory.

"Buford! Addison!" Isabella giggled, waving to her friends.

"Hah. Don't forget about us." Django laughed and walked over with Milly. Katie, Irving, Holly, Tommy, Ginger, Baljeet, Gretchen, and surprisingly Ace decided to tag along as well.

"What's up, guys?" Phineas asked.

Ace folded his arms. "… Mom made me come along. Said it was a 'learning experience'." Gretchen giggled as she put an arm around him.

"Oh, cheer up Ace. It's going to be fun!"

"So since you're here, that means your brother is too, right?" He questioned and the group, now altogether, walked into the dance. Ace nodded over to the concession stand. His brother and his date stood close to each other as they watched the crowd.

"Yeah, he ended up going out with some girl named Jenny. He told me that he helped her out with one of her protests. One thing lead to another and… well you know." He trailed off and passed over a shy grin. "Sorry. This is completely out of my element. I'm not normally so talkative."

Ferb laughed and gave him a look that said, "You and me both."

Not long after they comfortably fit in with the other children, dancing to their hearts content. Isabella sighed as she hung close to Phineas. _This is… exactly how I pictured it… _She thought happily. No longer did she have to dream of Phineas-Land. She was living the reality.

"Hey, Isabella," Phineas called out to her and she smiled at him.

"What's up?" She asked calmly, although her nerves were starting to get the best of her.

"I… have to show you something. Come on."

He carefully led her through the mob of people, only stopping to catch his breath. They finally made it by a lake in the park nearby, where they had their date not too long ago. He grinned as he took a few steps away from her and held out his hand, a determined look on his face.

"Okay. Check this out."

Isabella's eyes grew wide as the fire in his palms morphed into a beautiful heart. She grinned. "Oh gosh. Th-that's amazing, Phineas. Thank you."

"Really?" He mumbled and blushed while the heart flickered, disappearing within the few seconds. "I've learned that the blue flame shines brightest when I'm angry… but that also means I can't control it. So… I just wanted to let you know I'm trying to prefect it by another emotion."

"And what's that?" Isabella whispered, moving an inch towards him.

"_Aw yeah! Dad is so awesome!" _Marcos cheered from a bush not too far away from where they were. Jade slapped him on the shoulder.

"_Shut it! Do you WANT us to get caught?!" _She warned, although her eyes were filled with amazement.

Phineas laughed silently as he focused his gaze on Isabella, who thankfully didn't hear the two troublemakers. He took a deep breath and leaned his forehead against hers, wrapping his arms around her neck. "…my love for you, Isabella. It's the most powerful one in the world… I know that nothing can defeat that."

She gasped as she blinked back a few tears, fighting a wavering smile. "Oh Phineas…"

"I promise: You will be Mrs. Flynn one day." He assured her. He sealed the deal with a kiss while tears began to pour down Isabella's face. Phineas just held her tight and didn't even pass a glance at the meteor shower in the sky. He had something better.

Meanwhile, by the punch bowl, a few of their friends were trying to get a good look at the history in the making. Baljeet watched in horror as Buford picked up a cup.

"No! No! Buford, I swear to yo—"

_SPLASH_

He groaned as he looked at his now soaking wet tuxedo. "Did you have to?"

Irving tried to hold back a laugh as he wrapped an arm around Katie, who couldn't fight back her fit of hysterics. "And thus, the universe is in balance."

"About time…" Katie sighed, passing over a smile to the love-struck couple. _Good going chief, _She praised. She then turned her attention back to Ginger as she tried unsuccessfully to get the sticky substance off of Baljeet.

**THE END. **

* * *

**...**

**...Oh. My. Freaking. Glob. **

**It's always been my dream in life to give Isabella her happy ending. *giggles like Candace* **

**Ever since I learned about the whole Phinabella pairing phenomenon, my reaction has been this: "Must... have... Phineas... love... Isabella..." and a few ideas bounced around in my head at the possibilities. I am proud to say that I have an obsession with canon parings; I won't stop enjoying them or the show any time soon. x3 And again, thank you so much to all of you lurkers, reviewers, and fans. :D This series was originally supposed to be one giant book, but when Marcos' character came into the picture -I love you for everything Vyn! Don't stop writing your Wreck-it Ralph fic!- and my love for the Hunger Games relit, I decided why not make this into a trilogy? So I did. **

**I'll post the epilogue tomorrow, along with the first chapter to _Crescent Time_, the final book to this series. See you in the future :) **

**~N1kk1 Starlet. **


	19. Chapter 19

**It's a little short, but oh well. Hope you guys enjoy :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb. **

Book 2- Ashes

Epilogue: The A Team

"Mom, why are you smiling at me?"

Phineas tilted his head in confusion as he hugged Perry, who sat on his lap. His mother had a mile-wide smile on her face ever since she greeted the boys this morning. Ferb shrugged and stared off outside. Lawrence, on the other hand, was humming the tune to "Gitchee- gitchee- goo", trying his best to act oblivious.

"No reason." She simply answered, and Candace frowned at her brother before saying, "I honestly have no idea what's going on here." Phyllis chattered at Phineas' side while pointing out the window. A crowd was beginning to form at the center of town! His eyes grew wide and he turned to get a closer look. He smiled at Ferb.

"Whoa, I never have seen a crowd this big before. Hey look Ferb! There's Isabella and Vanessa!" He exclaimed. The car pulled to a stop. Linda, still smiling, helped Phineas out of his seat. He shook his head at her and walked towards the crowd. They suddenly turned when they saw him, and hushed, excited whispers spread through the crowd.

"There he is!"

"Oh god, I can't believe it!"

"The kid's a genius!"

"He's pretty cute too… no wonder Isabella has a massive crush on him!"

"Isn't he a little young to be saving the world?

Phineas and Ferb glanced at each other. "Uh. What's going on?"

"_Phineas Flynn_." The voice from the podium caused him to do a double take, and he blinked. "Step forward." Taking a final glance back at his family and friends, the world became in slow motion as he began to walk towards the stage. Roger Doofenshmirtz smiled at the boy knowingly. He coughed and looked down at a sheet of paper in front of him.

"Well, it has come to my attention that we should finally honor your bravery. You have saved the world countless times, built things that deemed impossible, and did everything you could to make these past few summers the best."

The inventor smiled at him as memories filled his mind. He felt Isabella's hand slip into his, and he turned to smile at her. "And, I think that we can all agree that they have. So… on behalf of the entire Tri- state Area, I now pronounce you the Hero of Danville."

"Oh Gosh," Phineas gasped in pleasant surprise. The crowd cheered him on. He walked onto the stage as Roger shook hands with him. He moved aside for the boy to speak. "Thanks everybody. I'm truly honored for this, but I can't take all the credit. My family and friends helped support me through every invention. They gave me hope, love, and courage to move on. And importantly…" His eyes turned glassy for a few moments as he caught eyes with Isabella. "…the most beautiful girl in my life. She's the driving force of anything I built too." Isabella glared, because she thought he was starting to talk about another girl in her life. Ferb shook his head and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "She was there for me on our trip around the world, when I almost lost faith. Isabella's… well, Isabella's amazing. No words can describe how much I care for her. Some say I may be a little too young to be in love, but this is my only answer: What kind of life are you living?"

"Ph-phineas…" Isabella whispered, swaying on her feet.

Milly slapped her head. "Oh no she's gonna faint."

"She's not. Look!" Katie smiled, and pointed to their chief, who just put her hand on her heart.

"I-in conclusion," Phineas went on, "Everybody's a hero today. My step-brother Ferb, my mom, Professor Wilde and her kids, all of you. Including Paul the Delivery Guy. He always brought our things in on time with no question."

"Aw thanks Phineas!" He cheered as he pumping his fist in the air.

He laughed and smiled at Roger. "Thank you."

"Anytime, soldier." The mayor saluted, and the crowd cheered louder than before. "I'll be looking forward to your next invention."

"…I have a few things in mind for the following summer." He answered back, and walked over to his friends and family. He grinned at his mother. "Ha. I knew you knew something about this."

"Guilty." She laughed and pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations, Phineas." Lawrence smiled and just patted his son on the back. "Good show old chap." Isabella snapped out of her trance as she ran over at top-speed, and hugged Phineas from behind. She kissed his cheek.

"That was your greatest speech ever! It was so moving."

Buford rolled his eyes. "Meh. I give it an A-."

Addison grinned at him, moving a couple spaces closer towards the bully. "Admit it. You thought it was awesome."

"AH… personal space, Addison." He muttered under his breath, although he couldn't hide the blush creeping up his face. Ferb chuckled at the pair and his eyes trialed over to Vanessa. Phineas lightly tapped his brother on the shoulder, surprising him a little.

"Come on, bro. Ya know you want to. Make it official."

"You can do it Ferb!" Isabella cheered. Ferb glared at them but moved forwards, and the crowd started to make room for him. Vanessa caught on what was happening, and she knelt down to smile at her crush.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I love you." He finally uttered, and the crowd gasped as he pressed his lips against hers. Phineas and Isabella smiled at each other, looking up at the rain that was beginning to fall from the sky. Neither questioned how cliché this turned out to be. For they only had three words on their mind.

_Best. Summer. Ever. _


End file.
